Falling Blue Rose
by Darth Zexar
Summary: **Set 20,000 Years After Star Wars: The Return Of The Jedi** Aaron is the apprentice of Master Carly, who are constantly battling across the universe. The two get sent to Bespin, to destroy the Sith and army who have attacked...
1. Battle Of Bespin

"I wish you wouldn't wear black, the council don't approve. You know they don't", Aaron's master, Carly, said to him as he walked into the nearly full briefing room.

She wore a long, light brown cloak that dragged along the floor, with her light brown Jedi robes beneath. Her knee-height boots were a little darker, as was her belt. Her silver-hilted light-saber was clipped to her belt as well as a small blaster for emergencies.

"They also don't approve of me having a black hilted saber, although the blade is blue, and they don't approve of my hair style. Oh and to top it off they don't approve of me and Lauren being together but as I repeatedly say I don't care what they think"

"Aaron, how can you not show any feeling for what they think. Surely what they think must influence you in some way. Master Marsh has already tried to have you and Lauren forced apart, as well as having you put in front of the council about your appearance"

"Marsh is unable to see through the shell of people. And anyway, the council is too based upon the appearance of a person, I mean why does it matter what color I like to wear?"

"You still have much to learn my young apprentice"

"No I don't. Come on, I fought and killed Darth Fanu, many Master's admitted that was an amazing feat to accomplish"

"That may be so but you do not appreciate Jedi ways"

"C, do you have a problem with my appearance?"

"No"

"Well then"

A fairly tall man walked into the room, a Master from the council. Master Marsh stood beside the hologram's at the front of the room, and indicated for them all to take a seat.

"As you are aware, the planet of Bespin has been over-run by Darth Grunto, his guards and his troops. He has taken a small army of 300,000 droids and 200 guards. Master Carly and Master Veban, you will lead our attack. Everyone must take orders from them and I shall arrive at the battle after a short amount of time"

"One question", Aaron said, standing up. Carly grabbed his arm to stop him but he shook her off and continued, "If there are 300,201 of them, including Grunto, why is the council only sending the 50 of us here?"

"We can not afford to send more, should we fail-", Marsh said before being interrupted

"We will be dead and 50 Jedi will have been wasted", Aaron got in

"How dare you question the council"

Aaron sat back down and got a look from Carly as if to say 'why do you do it?'.

"Right, now everyone, may the Force be with you, and we shall await your return", Marsh finished.

Aaron and Carly stood up and walked out the door closely followed by Carly, who stopped him.

"Why do you always oppose him?"

"He hates me, why not?"

"He does not hate you, he just doesn't approve of you"

Aaron looked at her clearly confused but she dropped it.

"Guess I'll be following you then"

"Don't you always?"

"Suppose so", Carly said, laughing.

They both walked over to their Jedi fighter ships. Aaron's was black all over whereas Carly's was gray and white. Aaron strapped himself in to his fighter and engaged the engine, taking off and flying into the stars.

"C, you ready to jump to hyperspace?"

"Yes, remember we're all boarding the A45-L Control Ship when we get there"

"Yes master", Aaron said, apparently bored by his tone of voice.

"Aaron, don't get into unnecessary trouble this time, please", Carly begged

"When do I ever master?"

"Let me think, Tattoine, Felucia, Kashyyyk, Dantooine, Houche, Niran. Want me to continue?"

"Come on, it's not trouble, just problematic"

"Unnecessary none-the-less"

"C, I've sent you better co-ordinates to reach the A45-L", Aaron stated, smiling in his cockpit at Carly.

"Aaron?"

"3-2-1, See you there C"

They both blasted into hyperspace with Aaron's new co-ordinates rather than those given by Marsh, and arrived much nearer the A45-L than the originals. Too close.

"Aaron!", Carly said swerving past the engine of the A45-L. Aaron laughed then spoke.

"Thought I'd give my old master some excitement, plus, I know how much you enjoy flying with me as your navigator"

"You're going to be the death of me"

"Doubt it, I've a feeling Marsh is going to be the death of us both", Aaron said grimly

"If you're not careful you will be out casted from the Jedi. They already believe you are too close to Sith standards, you know how they feel"

"Lets just get aboard then"

"Aaron don't back away from it, you can't shy away from what they think of you"

"Yes I can"

Aaron sped up ahead of Carly and spun quickly into the hanger, landing elegantly in his designated spot. He released his harness and leaped from the cockpit, then walked to the ships briefing room before waiting for Carly.

Carly walked into the briefing room moments after Aaron, and sat next to him around the hologram model of Bespin.

"General Carly, I presume you have been briefed on what we're going to be doing", General Veban asked her

"Yes, we shall be splitting into two groups of 25 and shall destroy Grunto's forces"

"Last minute change of plan General, Marsh's orders. Your padawan Aaron has shown some real potential recently having killed Darth Fanu. Marsh has sent another 10 Jedi, so I shall take 24 Jedi as will you, whilst Aaron will take 9 to try and flank their forces and create a diversion"

"Hang on a second", Aaron said, standing up, "Marsh wants me to act as bait?"

"Not bait, a diversion", Carly stated, backing up Veban, "Aaron, I know you do not see eye to eye with Marsh but this is an honor to be leading an attack force as a padawan"

"I know, master", Aaron said, sitting back down.

"Right, everyone, may the force be with you", Veban and Carly said in unison.

Aaron got up and walked quickly from the room, apparently trying to avoid conversation with his master.

"Aaron, you can't run from what they think"

"C, I know what they think of me. They believe I do not respect the Jedi order and expect me to turn against them"

"Are they so wrong? Do you really respect the order at all? I mean you and Lauren being together really doesn't help things, then your constant attitude and temper, not to mention your saber and appearance"

"Just say it C"

"You are not a disappointment, you have been my most accomplished padawan and have more skill than many of the council"

"You must understand I can't maintain a healthy attitude when I am always rejected by them"

"I do understand, I back you up as best I can, you just need to prove yourself to them, thats it. Today is a perfect chance to show them your potential"

"C, I showed perfectly good potential when I killed Fanu, Masters Brunn and Yux were there, I saved them both from Fanu"

"I know you did. They just didn't like being shown up by a padawan"

"At least I can look on the bright side, Marsh obviously listened to what I said about only sending 50 of us, so sent another 10", Aaron said, grinning

"See, you do have an impact upon them, just not always positive"

"Master, you do it too"

"Do what?"

"You know what", Aaron said as he jumped into his cockpit before Carly could retaliate verbally.

"Right, C, no more of this talk until we get back, then I shall converse about it, but for now lets concentrate on the task at hand. Something I don't understand is why Marsh has done this last-minute, it's as if he wants to see my skill at thinking on the spot", Aaron wondered out-loud

"Sometimes it seems as if you're the master"

"Is that a compliment?"

"Of sorts"

Aaron and Carly both took off and joined General Veban at the front of the small army of Jedi fighters.

"Veban, I shall take my 9 Jedi around the back in the fighters and stay undetected until they start to move towards you and C, then we can pick them off easier with less casualties"

"Good plan padawan"

"General, as long as I am leading a squad don't call me that"

Veban became silent then ordered her 24 Jedi to follow her, before Carly did the same.

"We shall be flying below the platforms and shall land behind their forces and lie low until Veban and Carly draw them forward, that way we shall be able to pick them off better", Aaron ordered his team, "For now just follow me", Aaron finished as he rolled to the left and nose-dived quickly until they were low enough to be undetectable from the platforms above.

"General, how far along will we be going?", a Jedi named Frank asked

"As far as we can so we shall stay undetected", Aaron replied

A small hologram appeared in Aaron's cockpit from Carly and it spoke to him.

"Aaron, be careful, we have been betrayed by someone unknown. They knew we were coming and they have become aware of your extra squad. They have brought in re-enforcements so the battle is tough, but we are on the winning side. Be careful my young apprentice", Carly said

"Everyone, we have been betrayed, we shall be coming up now and landing where ever we can, okay? Follow my lead", Aaron ordered

Aaron flew directly upwards and rolled to the right before landing on a large platform to his right, closely followed by his squad. They all landed and got out their ships, before regrouping with Aaron, who already had his saber out.

"We shall be moving quickly to the East to regroup with Veban and Carly, who have both had to regroup due to enemy numbers"

"They were struggling with 25 in each squad? We're screwed", Billo shouted

"No, we shall fight out best and should we fall we will have fallen bravely, a great honor"

Aaron pressed the black button and the blue blade of his saber shone in the evening light, as did the greens of everyone else. Aaron ran to the East and they encountered a large group of droids who fired at them immediately. They all blocked shots, sending them back and took out the 150 droids they had encountered with not much trouble. Aaron wondered whether they had actually encountered a large group of droids, or whether the droids were a tester of their power. Either way they proved useless in the face of Aaron and his squad, something Aaron took comfort in. Aaron could barely see anything in the heavy mist that had formed around the light brown buildings; held up by the gravitational pads underneath the platforms. A high pitched drone grew louder and louder as Aaron realized what it was.

"Get inside, quickly", Aaron shouted

The scream of Grunto's ship grew closer and closer until purple lights lit the area up: rockets. Before they had reached the building the rockets blew apart the bridges connecting platforms, stranding them onto the large round platform they were positioned on.

Grunto leaped from his ship, which hovered where he left it, and landed on the edge of the platform.

"Aaron", he started, "I see the council have finally recognized your talents, General"

"Apparently so, Grunto, but the question is, have you?"

"Why of course, but as we all know the dark side is more powerful than you can ever imagine"

"Oh I assure you, my imagination is massive"

"This should be sufficient training"

Grunto pulled his saber from his belt and withdrew the blade, the red coloration shining on his face and the mist around him; a shroud of darkness. Aaron raised his blue blade which had the same effect. Light against dark. Another ship flew overhead and a Jedi leaped from it, landing in between them both. Marsh.

"Master Marsh, how nice of you to join us", Grunto stated.

A group of a few thousand droids used jet-packs to fly over the bridge gaps, and engaged at them all, causing Aaron's squad to charge them, blocking shots and killing droids. The sound of blaster fire and saber hums filled the air, a sound Aaron had grown to love, after all, he has been in so many battles in the past few years of his training.

Marsh engaged Grunto and Aaron sprinted forward to assist him, attacking Grunto at every angle. Aaron's blue blade and Marsh's yellow blade clashed with Grunto's red blade at tremendous speed, skill of all participants shining through. Grunto dodged under Aaron's attack and used the Force to push him back, sending Aaron flying backwards. Marsh continued to parry and attack Grunto, before locking sabers, and Marsh was pushed backwards with a slight burn to his arm where Grunto's saber made contact. Aaron jumped to his feet and leaped towards Grunto, who blocked his initial attack and locked savers with him.

Aaron's squad had taken down the droids that had attacked, only Frank having survived, but he helped Aaron immediately. Grunto broke out of the saber lock and used the Force to push Aaron back slightly, giving him time to slice Frank's left arm and right leg off, before sending him backwards. Marsh got to his feet and jumped into his ship, which had enough room for five people, then looked down at Aaron.

"Marsh, wait for me", Aaron bellowed in his direction

Marsh looked at him, fire in his eyes, and sped off into space, abandoning Aaron on the platform, Grunto in front of him. Grunto lowered his saber and then disarmed Aaron as he attacked him, using the Force to pull Aaron's light-saber to himself.

"As Sith go, General, I am rather generous", Grunto stated as he used Force lightening on Aaron until he passed out.

Carly, Veban, and the other remaining Jedi ran from the nearest building at that moment, seeing Grunto use Force lightening on Aaron, only unsure whether or not Aaron was alive.

"Aaron!", Carly shouted, "Darth Grunto, you'll pay for what you've done"

Grunto looked over at the sound of voices and smiled in a twisted way towards them, before picking up Aaron's body and leaping up into his ship, then blasted into the black vacuum above. Carly and Veban managed to leap the gap to the large platform and collected up the sabers from the fallen Jedi, adding them to the large collection they already had.

"G-G-General", Frank stuttered

Carly looked in the direction of the voice and gasped at Frank's sight, "Frank", she started, "Veban, get a medication droid here immediately"

Carly picked up Frank gently using the Force, and slowly moves him across the large gap to where the medical droid is waiting.

"Veban, no one else survived", Carly stated

"General, I am sorry about your apprentice", Veban replied, apparently ignoring what Carly was saying.

"Aaron is a formidable warrior of the light. Whatever plan Grunto has to turn him, Aaron will stay faithful to us"

"You realize they will kill him in time, that is, if he doesn't succumb"

"That is why we must rescue him"

Carly turned and leaped back over the gap, before ordering the Jedi to return to their ships and fly back to the A45-L.


	2. Birth Of Darth Zexar

"General. You're awake", Grunto stated, looking at Aaron.

"Apparently so", Aaron replied.

Aaron was strapped down to a stone tilted-table, so he was held at bay whilst able to look Grunto straight in the eyes. He knew what was coming, the relaxed posture of Grunto was a clever disguise to anyone who had less confrontations with the Sith than he had. His saber was attached to Grunto's belt, next to Grunto's own, no doubt the crystal had been removed and replaced with a red one. But Aaron had a strong mind, surely he could repel the dark side, but does he want to? Master Marsh's betrayal had removed feeling towards the Jedi council, but could that sway him towards the dark side?

"Grunto, what are you waiting for?"

"Your decision"

"You're delusional"

"You're going to be a Dark Lord, I can feel it in my veins. It's pulsing through me"

"Grunto, persuasion isn't a strong point of yours"

"Loyalty isn't for you", Grunto started, "The Jedi abandoned you, you're leader Marsh left you for dead, I could feel your anger, as if you wanted to kill him"

"I do want to kill him"

"Join me, Aaron, and become my apprentice"

"Grunto, I serve no one"

"I feel the dark side has taken over you. Good. But you have much to learn my apprentice"

"Careful, you're beginning to sound like a Jedi"

"Darth Zexar, do you know which planet you are located on?"

"No"

"Korriban, the ancestral home of the Sith. It is a place of great power; the dark side lives and breathes in the very core of this world"

"Honored to be here", Zexar said sarcastically, "Now release me, I am Darth Zexar now, my former Jedi self is gone, Marsh destroyed the light side within me"

"You will learn to watch your tongue", Grunto stated coldly as he released the bindings keeping Zexar in place.

Zexar used the force to pull his saber from Grunto's belt and ignited the blade; the red light spilling all around the room. Zexar walked from the room to the armory to acquire his Sith robes in exchange for his Jedi ones, as well as a long black cloak. He then ran to his quarters where he changed immediately and meditated; allowing the dark side to engulf him. He felt as though a dark cloud descended upon him, fighting off the little resistance encountered; the light side within him. He knew he would never eradicate his feelings towards his former master, Carly, and his partner, Lauren, but he knew some day they would encounter him. One day soon. He awaited that day; the day he could prove himself, to them both. The council will bow down to him one day in the future, but for now patience was needed, possession of this was something he had been lucky enough to be born with.

"Now now, who are you?", a woman asked him as she strolled into his quarters.

"Darth Zexar, or as you may know me, General Aaron from the republic"

"Zexar, welcome to the Sith. I'm Darth Telon, see you around", Telon said as she left Zexar.

Zexar was left with an imprint of her as she left the room; recognition flickered through his mind. Who had she been? And why had he immediately recognized her?

"Zexar, you'll be pleases to know you're first mission has been assigned to you, and believe me it will not be easy", Grunto stated, arriving at his room.

"Go on"

"A small band of Jedi are in search of...an item. This item can not fall into the hands of the Jedi or we shall fall, and I can not stress enough how important this mission is. We shall be sending Darth Telon with you, and you are to kill the Jedi in search of it, and inevitably bring the item to us"

"What is this item"

"A weapon of sorts. You are unable to know more until you have proved your allegiance to the Sith"

"When do I leave?"

"A ship is ready now, you must leave in the next half hour at least, Telon is waiting", Grunto started, "Return here if any questions arise"

"I'll leave at once", Zexar stated as he walked briskly from the room.

_I sense familiarity. Carly. Lauren. They will be with the group but where are they? The force will guide me, I hope. They will not take the news of my allegiance well, but why should I really care? My relationship can't hope to work as it is, unless I open her heart to the dark side, allow it to penetrate deep into her soul. But what of Carly? Surely she would not fall; she is the most loyal Jedi in the entire republic but even she has shown signs of anger, hate, fear even. I've got work to do, and even if I do find them I need some way to get Telon off the offensive, keep her at bay until they join me. The Sith can not exist in this Universe, I see it as does Grunto, I can sense it deep within him. But then again, neither can the Jedi exist in a Universe where the Sith do not exist, they would become corrupt and become Sith themselves, destroying themselves on the inside. And of course, that is what is happening to me now, even if I can't live up to the fact it's happening, I know it is, just don't want that thought to pervert my mind more than it already is. _Zexar's brain was ticking over on the way to his and Telon's ship, but one thought made him laugh briefly, _At least I can wear black here. _

"Care to share the joke?", Telon shouted over to him.

"Private memory", Zexar replied, "We better leave, where we headed?"

"I was hoping you knew"

"Alright, set the co-ordinates to take us to Felucia, I can sense Jedi presence there"

"I agree Zexar"

Zexar boarded the ship and placed himself into the co-pilots seat, ready to let Telon take control of the situation. Tiredness suddenly hit him as he realized he hadn't slept in a few days at least, unconsciousness hadn't helped replenish him in the slightest.

"Telon, I'm going to sleep for a few hours, I haven't slept in about three days"

"Alright, I'll let you know when we get there, if your not up that is"

Zexar left the cockpit, and walked into the double room at the back of the ship and climbed into his bunk, slipping into a dream-filled sleep.

"_No, Master, run", Aaron screamed at Carly._

_He blocked a volley of shots from Darth Fanu's elite guard, destroying one of them; a loss which did little to sway them from their target. Carly. Carly had just been knocked down by a guard and had suddenly been surrounded by them, a deadly situation to be in. Their shields made it very hard to do any damage especially as the only weapon that could get through them was blaster fire, something Carly and Aaron were unable to produce but could deflect. Aaron managed to destroy a further four of them as their attention was drawn to him, giving a gap for Carly to get through._

"_What's that? Nine times I've saved you?"_

"_My time will come to save you. Eventually"_

"_Yeah, if we make it out of here"_

_Carly and Aaron put on an impressive display of accurate deflections and soon had taken down the elite guards numbers down to five, easily dealt with. With some more defensive yet accurate deflections the remaining guards were eliminated within seconds, much to their joy. _

"_Finally", Aaron commented._

"_Patience my young apprentice"_

"_I may be your apprentice but I'm not so young any more"_

"_That's right my very young apprentice", Carly said, chuckling. _

"_Very funny Master, now, Brunn and Yux need our help"_

"_Agreed...Master", Carly said, laughing again._

"_I just wanted to bring your drifting mind back into the situation"_

"_My drifting mind never left"_

"_If you say so Master"_

_Carly walked towards a large, sealed metal door with Aaron in tow, and used the Force to try and move it, failing. Aaron decided to help her, doubling the effort, which caused a huge crack to form through the middle of the door, splitting it in half. Aaron looked at Carly, who smirked back at the look he gave her. They ran along the metal corridor at a Force-speed, which inevitably sped the whole process up, as they reached a large throne room at the end. The dark side tainted this room, with the light making an obvious repel._

"_Master Carly", Darth Fanu stated at their arrival, "General Aaron, I feel your anger"_

"_Likewise Fanu", Aaron replied._

"_Aaron, be careful of your emotions, they give away too much", Carly whispered so only he could hear. _

_Masters Brunn and Yux were enclosed into torture 'cages', and looked as if they had been tortured for hours on end, which they most likely had. Brunn was a short black man with shoulder-long black hair, curly and twisted as anything Aaron had ever seen. Yux on the other hand was fairly tall with tentacles sprouting from his head, running down along side his neck. His skin was a algae-green and had a luminous effect in the dark, giving him a green aurora, much like his saber. Fanu reached to his belt and pulled out a long-handled, dark red colored saber, and ignited it. This action was followed by Aaron and Carly, as they both ignited their blue sabers, much to the delight of Fanu. He decided to immobilize Carly first, opening Aaron up for the attack; something he could never repel. _

"_Savor your last moments Jedi", Fanu stated as he raised his saber, ready to strike._

"_The Sith will lose today Fanu", Carly said in response._

"_Not if this is a repeat of last time"_

"_You weren't alone last time, Grunto is the reason you're alive. Face the facts Fanu, I suggest you surrender", Aaron Replied._

_Fanu had already made up his mind and first swung for Aaron..._

"Zexar, get up, now", Telon started as Zexar was brought back to reality, "We've encountered a small republic resistance, man the guns"

"Consider it done"

Zexar ran through the ships defence room and up the small ladder into the fairly large laser cannon, which he immediately fired.

"Oi, Telon, this isn't small considering theres one of us", Zexar shouted as he counted twenty fighters.

"Z, just fire until I can get the shields up and back to hyperspace", Telon yelled back.

Zexar fired multiple times with the orange laser and managed to shoot down three of the fighters; not enough to make a sizable difference. He recognized one of the fighters as a pilot droid he had trained with during his Jedi training in flight, and had immediately grown to like the droid. Nevertheless this was more important so he fired a single shot which flew through the black vacuum, hitting the ship full on, instantly turning it into a fireball. Zexar fired many shots into space, destroying a further thirteen fighters as they made the jump to hyperspace once again.

"I can feel great anger within you Zexar"

"Can't say the same about you", he replied, "I've never felt so much mercy and thoughtfulness inside a Sith, it's a welcome change.

"May I ask you, Zexar, was it you who destroyed Fanu?"

"Yes"

"What did it feel like? Slaying a Sith Lord"

"Powerful, I've never felt so powerful, and full of hate. I was fearful of the Jedi council finding out, they may have expelled me from the order"

"Just for those feelings?"

"No, my appearance bothered them somewhat, and my relationship with a beautiful Jedi named Lauren"

"Jedi do not allow love, one rule I can expressly remember trying not to break"

"You were a Jedi?"

"Long ago, yes, I couldn't live with their ideals and code, although it made sense I just couldn't do it. It was so hard to do and although I had been living that way since I was two years old, it was destroying me"

"What was your name?"

"That name was lost many years ago"

"Fancy way of telling me your not going to say, I respect that"

"Zexar, what made you join the Sith?"

"Oh my memory has gone black for that specific moment in time"

"Classy, I like", Telon finished as the ship came out of hyperspace and entered the atmosphere of Felucia. As they flew nearer and nearer the ground Zexar could not force out memories of his last time here.

"_Lauren, I know it's against the Jedi code but I love you"_

"_I love you too"_

"Telon, land in the capital, Kway Teow, I sense Jedi presence somewhere in the city", Zexar stated.

"Will do, I've heard stories of this place, you ever been here before?"

"Yeah, I have. Flesh-eating diseases and predators are about, as well as amazing views and beautiful locations. I have good memories here"

"I sense Lauren"

"She is the primary reason, yes"

"I await meeting her"

"The dark side awaits her, I feel it within"

"We'll see"

Zexar was left with the prospect of fighting alongside Lauren once again as they landed in the space port of Kway Teow.


	3. Trials Of A Sith

The city seemed to be built from hollowed plants, huge hollow plants. They had managed to keep the strong structure whilst creating a normal building space on the interior; Felucian's were not to be underestimated in their building work. The tall plants towered high above Zexar and Telon as they headed towards the Felucian embassy, hoping to manipulate them into spilling the Jedi's whereabouts.

"Z, why so tense?"

"Memories"

"Ah I see, this is where you and Lauren declared your love is it not?"

"Telon, your senses serve you well"

"Do you ever give a straight answer?"

"Do you?"

"Take that as a no then"

"Take it any way you like. Tell me, then, why do you conceal your emotions so much. You're a Sith after all"

"Z, I don't believe in all the Sith ways but I can't agree to the Jedi, the Sith are better for me. I just don't like to put my emotions on show"

"I feel the same, but after all I've been through with the Jedi I am through with them. Master Marsh is corrupt as the Sith are in their eyes"

"Marsh, his name rings a dead bell"

"He betrayed me, gave me every reason to join the very thing I swore to destroy"

"The Jedi are the true villains of this Universe"

"I agree in a way. The Sith and the Jedi are equally wrong in their ideals"

"I agree, we'll have plenty of time to talk about this later but for now we should complete out mission here"

The embassy was located inside a small, shallow mushroom; the blues and reds mixing with all the other buildings. They walked inside, forgetting to remove their hoods until a soldier approached them, ordering the hoods removal. No one paid any attention to their black cloaks and robes as they strolled towards the Jedi booth at the back, a rally and briefing point for them all.

"You have business here Master Jedi?", a small man behind the booth counter asked Zexar.

"Yes, we are having difficulty locating the Jedi sent here by the council, can you help us track them?", Zexar replied.

"I believe so, let me look", the man poked around with the computer in a clumsy manner and muttered to himself as he did this, "They are slightly east of the Ancient Abyss, the ancient sarlacc pit"

"You have your thanks Lucian", Zexar began, waiting for his shocked reply.

"How did you know my name?", Lucian asked.

"The Force"

"The Jedi who came before couldn't draw my name from the-", Lucian began as recognition hit him, "Only General Aaron could draw names from the Force. Aaron, how did you escape Grunto?"

"Aaron is dead, I am Darth Zexar now", Zexar stated emotionless as he drew his saber from his belt, igniting the red blade, "Bow down before me"

Lucian appeared to generally look pleased that he was stood in front of two Sith, and bowed down low to them both.

"Darth Zexar, Darth?", he stated, turning to face Telon.

"Telon", she replied.

"Zexar, Telon, I am pleasured to make your acquaintance. I hate to serve the Jedi, and have awaited the day I would encounter a Sith"

"You want to join us?", Telon asked him.

"Indeed"

"Zexar and I will need a moment to discuss this. Excuse us for a moment", Telon replied as she grabbed Zexar's arm and pulled him after her until they had left the embassy.

"We could use the help, I admit", Telon stated.

"We could. Can we trust him?"

"I don't sense any motives against us and admittedly I can sense the dark side hidden within, as if hiding it from the other Jedi in the embassy"

"I say we bring him with us, if we sense any betrayal we kill him, agreed?"

"Agreed"

Zexar nodded and walked back into the embassy, quickly nodding at Lucian to follow as he left the building once again. Zexar found himself staring at Telon; her long black hair blew carelessly and freely around her face. She looked elegant in her long black cape and robes, the Sith persona fitted her perfectly as it did him. She turned to face him but he managed to look away seconds before, but she knew he had been watching her.

"What color saber did you have Zex?"

"What?", Zexar started, "Oh, sorry. It was blue, what was yours?"

"Purple", Telon began as she formed her next sentence in her head, "You know, saber color shows a lot about a Jedi"

"Really? Well, what does blue show about me?"

"Oh I would love to tell you but it appears we are busy", Telon replied, nodding over in Lucian's direction.

"Thank you for allowing me to stick with you", Lucian stated as he approached them.

"No worries, one problem about our ship, two beds", Telon said, laughing.

"For Sith you two are rather light hearted"

"That would depend", Zexar finished as he walked off in the direction of the Ancient Abyss.

As they walked through the huge plants Zexar was on edge, Telon could feel this but Zexar remained outwardly calm. _What if Carly or Lauren are here?_ He thought. _I haven't decided how I'm going to approach them yet, and I definitely haven't decided whether I could kill them if I need to. Telon may persuade me to kill them should I pause but do I want to? Yes? No? I don't know yet, but I need to know soon. I sense that I shall encounter them too soon for my liking, a few days even. Telon and Lucian will get in my way should I decide against their beliefs but I am sure Lucian will not cause much of a problem. Telon may however, and this is something I shall have to deal with. _

"Zex, you think way too much", Telon stated.

"I need things set in my mind. Decisions I can't possibly decide"

"Such as?"

"I'll discuss it once we've taken care of the Jedi and are back on the ship"

"If your sure"

A bulb lit in Zexar's brain as he pondered over a thought he had had not two minutes ago.

"Lucian?"

"Yes Lord"

"I presume you can sufficiently defend yourself with a light-saber"

"Of course, my saber is green", Lucian stated as Telon smirked behind him.

Zexar nodded and proceeded, bumping into a small spike in the ground.

As he looked down to see what it was, a long tentacle from the sarlacc grabbed wrapped around his leg and pulled him along. Telon and Lucian ran after him and dived as he was just about to go over the edge. He was pulled downwards and flung into the sarlacc's mouth; Telon and Lucian watched open-mouthed.

"We've got to get him out of there", Lucian stated.

"No, we proceed to where the Jedi are, I sense Zexar will meet us there"

"You sure?"

"Don't question a Sith Lucian, you will be destroyed should you question anyone but me"

"My apologies, we best move on then"

Telon moved to the East, carefully avoiding any spikes and tentacles in case they grabbed her, as they did Zexar. Lucian, however, was much more clumsy; bumping into everything and tripping constantly. This annoyed Telon immensely. They came to a deep cave where Jedi presence was felt by both Telon and Lucian, most noticeably Telon due to her pure hatred of Jedi.

"Telon?", Lucian asked.

She spun to face him but he put his hand on her neck and kissed her passionately. Telon used the Force to lift Lucian up into the air by his hair, causing him need to stifle his whimpers.

"What in Marka Ragnos's name do you think you're doing?", Telon shouted.

"Let me down...please", Lucian begged.

"You are no Sith. A Sith does not beg", Telon yelled back as she released him, "Get up and prove yourself a Sith, now"

Lucian stood up slowly and drew his saber from his belt, igniting the blade. The hum from their sabers filled the air but the near-silence was broken when Telon swung her saber at him which he blocked. The clash of sabers was all they could hear except from the occasional creature rustling. Telon was not like normal Sith; she favored a defensive technique mixed in with the occasional offensive attack, unlike Lucian who seemed to have no technique at all. _I hope Zex won't get angry with me. _Telon thought as she disarmed Lucian by removing his arm, and then decapitated him before using the Force to push him into the sarlacc pit.

Telon put her saber back on her belt and started to walk into the cave, alone now having murdered Lucian. _He was not worthy to be a Sith, I did what was right. Zexar will understand, and if not it's too late, I can't repeat the past. Why does Zex keep thinking of his old Jedi Master Carly and Lauren? I don't understand at all. I mean, he may have had connections with them before but he's a Sith now, right? Maybe this is jealousy kicking in but I don't know why._

He thoughts drifted as she walked through the cave, the Force guiding her.

"Telon", Zexar shouted as he ran round a corner, covered in slime and dirt.

"What happened to you?", Telon asked, shocked at his appearance.

"Not now, get down", Zexar replied as he leaped at her, pulling her down to the ground.

A swarm of massive bats flew over them, totally oblivious to the fact they had just flown over their target.

"Zex you've covered me in that stuff"

"Better than coming face to face with those shyracks. Speaking of which they shouldn't even be here, they're only native of Korriban"

"They must have been imported by someone"

"Yeah. Where, might I ask, is Lucian?"

"He kissed me, I got angry and we fought, so I killed him. Anyway, he was totally useless with a saber"

"I should be annoyed, but in all honesty, I'm glad"

"Why's that?"

"Oh look, it appears we're busy", Zexar replied as a female voice echoed through the cave; a female Jedi voice.

The Jedi heard Zexar and Telon talking and appeared a few seconds later from the darkness ahead of them. They both looked in shock as they realized they had found their target.

"Aaron, it's you", a young Jedi stated.

"How did you get away from Grunto?", their Master asked him.

"General Luco, padawan Ashura", Zexar replied in recognition.

"What happened to you?", Luco asked him.

"Your ally, Marsh, betrayed me on Bespin"

"Our ally?"

"Grunto took me to his academy where I became Darth Zexar. Aaron is dead"

"You always were a Sith at heart"

"You're run by fear, we use our emotions"

"Fear leads to the dark side"

"If that is the case fear leads to power"

"Your old Jedi Master will not be pleased to hear of this"

"She can only hear should you survive, which I shall assure you, you will not", Zexar said, staring into here eyes, "You know, the Sith accept anyone", he added.

"Ignorance is a real strong point of yours"

"Anger can be channeled through the most loyal of minds. One does not have to be corrupt to become a Sith", Telon tried.

"Darth Zexar", Luco started, ignoring Telon's comment, "You shall be destroyed here and now"

Four sabers were ignited in unison as Zexar charged at Luco, apparently having picked his target. Telon and Ashura clashed blades; Telon's defensive style blocking out Ashura's offensive style, causing a fierce battle as Telon tried to open her defence. Zexar attacked low then high in a bid to open Luco's defence and was met by a hand around his throat with another on his saber hand. They grappled each other until Zexar pushed hard into Luco and forced them both backwards into a hole in the caves floor. Telon remained calm as Ashura became desperate due to being alone against a Dark Lord of the Sith; something she had been okay about until Luco and Zexar had left. Zexar twisted Luco around in the air so he could use her as a shield as they hit the ground. Luco pushed towards the ground with the Force which slowed the impact and also sent Zexar shooting off into the cave wall.

"Sith will never succeed", Luco shouted as she ran at Zexar, saber held high.

Zexar spun on the ground and grappled her legs with his, slamming her down to the ground.

"I beg to differ", Zexar stated coldly as he drove his saber through the back of her head, into the cold stone ground.

Ashura defended herself valiantly as Telon switched to a more offensive style so she could end this duel quickly. _Where has Zex got to?_ Ashura quickly became much calmer as she released her fear into the Force, which allowed her to concentrate more on her blocking and attacking, something Telon now had to work on. They locked sabers as Telon tried to sway her from the light side of the Force.

"Ashura, I can sense you will become a legendary Sith"

"I am loyal to the Jedi", Ashura replied, shaken at this news.

"Dark Lord of the Sith; Darth Malena. You will destroy the Jedi should you join me"

"Sith are...Evil"

"In the view of a Jedi", Telon began, "The Jedi sent you here on an impossible mission did they not?"

"Yes, one which we completed", Ashura started, "I know who you are, I recognize your teachings Master-", she finished as Zexar sprinted up behind her and sliced her through the middle.

_We did it, well, one part at least. I can't believe how much stronger Zexar has become since his days as a Jedi youngling. I remember those days clearly, though I try to forget. He had always been an adventurous young Jedi, causing trouble at a seemingly impossible rate. I was only four years older myself when I met him, he was twelve by that point. I was young to be a Jedi Knight, and I only knew him for two years but surely he remembers me. I was made a Jedi Master when I was eighteen but Zexar had just been moved to Dantooine to gain additional training there, so he would never have known about my ascension to the council nor my falling to the dark side. I await the day I come face-to-face with Master Carly, she won't be happy at all to see I'm assisting Aaron as a Sith. _

"And you say I think too much", Zexar stated as they got into their ship.

"You do, I like to think too"

"It shows, what you thinking about anyway?"

"The past", Telon replied as she clambered into her pilot seat and engaged the engine, before taking off and blasting into space.

"Telon, you really are a mysterious person. Now we're not busy, what does the fact I had a blue saber show about me?"

"I'm a little tired right now, I'm going to bed"

"Excuses again, typical Sith", Zexar laughed, "I'm going to bed as well, set the co-ordinates for Tatooine, I need to arrange something"

"Consider it done Zex", Telon replied as she expertly inputted the correct co-ordinates to take them to Anchorhead.

"See you soon Telon"

"You too Z"

They both left the cockpit and entered each of their separate rooms, sleep deprived as they were, neither were able to sleep; thoughts swirling through their minds.


	4. Ghosts Of The Past

_**Sorry on the fairly short length of this chapter, I decided to do a piece on Zexar's past as he has had a lot on his mind regarding his past. It begins to show why the Jedi doubt him. Telon will have her past explained soon, Tatooine will bring out a few ghosts from her and Zexar's past. **_

_**Hope you enjoy! Please REVIEW and if your able to please check out my other stories :)**_

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"_Padawan Aaron, you have become strong in the ways of the Force and light-saber skills. We have decided you are worthy of a Jedi Knight", Grand Master Jared stated._

_Aaron bowed lowly to the council and spoke, "Thank you Master's"_

"_This title is not something to be held lightly"_

"_I appreciate that, Jared"_

"_We have no time to congratulate you Aaron, you are needed on the planet Taris, a crime wave has spread through the upper and lower city, most noticeably the illegal death matches in the duel ring, and the bounty office in the lower city"_

"_Am I alone for this mission?"_

"_No, Master Carly shall accompany you. You two have fought alongside each other for many years, your knowledge of each other will be useful"_

"_We shall leave at once Jared", Carly stated as she stood up._

"_May the Force be with you"_

_Aaron and Carly both left the council chambers when Carly patted him on the back._

"_Told you patience was needed. You shall become a Master some day, I can feel it"_

"_Thank you for my training Master, I would be nowhere without you"_

_Carly was touched by Aaron calling her Master although she no longer was, but shunted the emotion out. _

_Aaron made his way to his chambers where the Jedi Knight robes of his choosing were laid out on his bunk, as well as a small note from a Jedi he had become very close with, Lauren. He picked up the small piece of parchment and carefully unfolded it, reading very carefully as to not miss any details._

Aaron,

Congratulations on Knighthood, I know you'll do well. I suppose I've written this letter to say good bye. I've been sent to the planet of Felucia to eliminate a renegade Jedi and his apprentice, so I won't see you for a while, I don't know how long. I heard you have been sent to Taris and I wish you luck, the crime wave there has become terrible, how people can live their lives like that, I don't know.

May the Force be with you,

Lauren.

_The letter gave Aaron many emotions at once; warmth, caring, excited, love, fear, hate. Hate was an emotion he had began to feel towards everything since the return to his home planet of Tati, where he had found his people enslaved by a crime lord from Bellassa, the neighboring planet. He had slain every member of the crime lords family, of whom he had brought into a large fortification, one which no one could possibly get past the security systems. Aaron had forced his way in and had hacked every person he had encountered. He hadn't stopped killing once he had killed his target, and this was something that had haunted Aaron. He had destroyed every being in that fort; friend or foe, hostile or passive. No Jedi other than Lauren knew of this, and yet, she had never thought any different of him. _

"_Aaron, I hope you're ready for this", Carly stated as they climbed into their Jedi fighters._

"_When am I not?"_

"_Lets not go there"_

"_That's also your reply when I bring up the times I've saved you"_

"_All in all I saved myself"_

"_''Let us not forget how it was I who trained you everything you know'', yes, I know Master"_

"_You know, I'm not your Master"_

"_It feels right, you know", Aaron began, "You're the closest thing I have to family; Mother or sister"_

"_I agree, although attachment isn't favored by the Jedi, I feel attached to you in that way"_

"_We best leave for Taris Master"_

"_Following you?"_

"_As always C"_

"_Try not to get shot down _again _Aaron_"

"_Again? I fail to see a time-", Aaron was cut off by Carly._

"_Yavin"_

"_That wasn't my fault Master"_

_Aaron and Carly both engaged their engines and took off, speeding into space at an alarming rate, much faster than needed, as was Aaron's style. _

_They jumped to hyperspace and a few hours later arrived at the sprawling city that spread across the entire planter of Taris, much like Coruscant. _

"_You know, this may take time, patience-"_

"_I have patience", Aaron cut in._

"_And anger"_

"_I am under control"_

"_I know, Aaron, about Tati, and no, Lauren did not tell me about it. Anger was not controlled there"_

"_Master, that was long ago"_

"_I know, that is why I am confident you will succeed here, as we will be subject to corrupt people, maybe even Sith"_

"_I understand"_

_Aaron sped ahead of Carly and spun around a public vessel which he hadn't seen until last minute._

"_Why does flying with you always revolve around near misses and getting shot down"_

"_You enjoy the excitement Master"_

"_And if I don't?"_

"_You do"_

_Aaron's own co-ordinates had been spot-on above the space port of Taris' upper level. Aaron had always been a fine pilot, most likely because he enjoyed the freedom and speed, the danger and combat, the style and maneuver's, and especially putting Carly to shame. He has always enjoyed making his Master look weaker than him, something which had made every battle, every mission, a competition. The training rooms are where Aaron had really shined, taking on more droids than he could possibly handle, but amazingly still destroying every single one. _

_A transmission came through into Aaron's fighter which slowed him down immediately as he saw who it was from. He accepted the transmission and came face-to-face with the one person who could calm him, other than Carly. Lauren.  
"Aaron, Fanu had laid a trap"_

"_What? Are you okay?"_

"_Yes, but he has captured Brunn and Yux, I'm on my own"_

"_Can you get off the planet?"_

"_No, that is why I've sent this, Aaron. I wanted to say good bye, in case I don't make it off alive"_

"_Lauren, hide somewhere, as long as possible just stay hidden. I am on my way now", Aaron said as he turned his fighter back the way he had been coming from, nearly hitting Carly's fighter._

"_No, don't jeopardize your mission"_

"_Too late, I'm coming, now. Set your receiver so I can find you"_

"_Okay, I'm cutting transmission now, may the Force be with you", Lauren finished as she cut the transmissions._

"_Aaron, what are you doing?", Carly shouted down the headset she was using._

"_Lauren needs my help, wait for me in the upper level casino", Aaron answered just before he blasted into hyperspace. Many emotions swirled through Aaron's mind as he took the short hyperspace route to Felucia, a planet he had grown to love, the beauty of it was something he had never become accustomed to. He had never spent long periods of time on a beautiful planet, Coruscant and Dantooine where the only planets he had long-term living routines as they contained the Jedi academies. _

_Aaron was totally aware he was walking into a trap, but since his last run-in with Fanu, a battle which had almost cost him his life, he felt he had to spring it, in the hopes of battling Fanu once more. Lauren need him as well, as does Brunn and Yux. He may be going against the council's orders but he will be saving two Jedi Masters and a Jedi Knight should he succeed. Failure was not an option here, and should that happen, well, he doesn't want to think of that option just yet. This may be his last mission as a Jedi; the council will not take kindly to his disregard to orders. He shall think of the consequences later, but for now he has to save Lauren, for his and for her sake._


	5. Apprentice Of Zexar

"Zex, wake up Zex", Telon begged, slapping Zexar gently to wake him.

"What? Why?"

"We've been boarded, a Jedi cruiser has jammed our controls and are preparing to board our ship"

"Shit, their force sensitives I presume, I sense the council"

"We can't escape this, what do you suggest?"

"Well we have two options; we fight and inevitably get defeated, or we surrender. And personally, I'm up for surrender"

"I agree. Darth Zexar, you're a strong ally, I'm glad I'm fighting alongside you"

"You too Telon"

A large explosion at the ships hatch made them both straighten up, hands on their heads with weapons cast aside. Footsteps grew louder in time until a small group of assassin droids and a Jedi leader came into view. The Jedi turned to face them and Zexar was taken back as he realized who it was.

"General Beth", Zexar spoke, slowly.

"Aaron, it's you? What happened? Why are you on a Sith ship? And who is she?"

"I was betrayed by your Master, Marsh, and Grunto took me to his academy where Aaron was destroyed. I am Darth Zexar now, and this is Darth Telon"

"Darth Zexar? How could you?", Beth started before addressing the droids, "Get them on the ship, take them to the interrogation cells, I need to talk to the rest of the council first"

"Excuse me? Rest of the council?", Zexar asked.

"I was appointed after the death of Master Luco"

"Just what I was thinking"

"How did you-", Beth began as she realized what he was saying, "You've become a monster"

"Council always thought I was one to begin with, nothings changed I presume"

Beth was starting to lose control at Zexar's tone; he was too calm for what he had done. She snatched a blaster from the nearest droid and changed the setting to stun, then shot Zexar in the chest, causing him to grunt in pain and fall to the floor.

"I feel your anger Jedi", Telon teased.

"Don't even try to turn me, I am loyal to the Jedi, and the Jedi only"

"Hatred fills you in our presence, the dark side calls to you Master Jedi"

Beth shot her an if-looks-could-kill look and shot Telon in the chest as well, leaving the now easy job of transferring the unconscious Sith into their own cruiser, and into the interrogation chambers. She threw them both into separate chambers and raised the shields, before utilizing the chambers for torture; they weren't going to keep quiet for long, that's for sure.

She acted on her own authority and failed to report to the council that she had found Aaron, and especially didn't report that she was torturing them to get information. The effects of the stunning shots were beginning to wear off as Zexar rose to his feet, closely followed by Telon.

"You've become quite the rebel", Zexar teased, "Council haven't been told about this have they?"

"No, Sith, they haven't. Now tell me Zexar, where is the Sith academy?"

"And why would I tell you that?"

Beth pressed a button on the large computer console in front of her and caused a small amount of electricity to pass into Zexar's chamber.

"That's why", Beth replied casually.

"We're not going to break, Jedi", Telon spoke.

"Maybe a new tactic is needed. Zexar, every time you fail to answer a question, your friend here, will be tortured"

"Zex, don't answer anything", Telon begged Zexar.

Zexar looked into Telon's eyes, unsure how long he would be able to see her in pain, but It was necessary, surely. He then looked into Beth's eyes and smiled, apparently happy on the tactic, she thought.

"Where is your academy?"

Zexar stood still, his mouth firmly closed, so Beth pressed a button, electric shocking Telon violently.

"That all you got?", Telon replied to the electricity.

"Zexar, what was your mission?"

Once again Zexar stood still, untouched by the fact Telon was going to receive great pain. Beth pressed buttons on the console until spikes slowly rose from the floor of Telon's chamber, piercing the bottoms of her feet. More electric was pulsed through the metal spikes and shocked Telon once again, the shock lasting for at least ten seconds.

"Zex...help me...please...make it stop"

"Listen to her begging", Beth teased, "Now, tell me Zexar, what was your mission?"

"You're wasting you're time Jedi", Zexar replied coolly.

Anger took a hold of her and she lashed out, sending a high voltage shock into each of their chambers, knocking Telon out after nine seconds, leaving Zexar writhing in pain.

"You're a...coward", Zexar shouted through gritted teeth.

Beth cut the electricity and released the shields to Zexar's chamber only and readied herself for a fight. Zexar used the Force to pull his saber from the torture console where it had been placed as Beth ignited her bright green light-saber and ran at him, saber poised for the kill. Zexar clipped his saber to his belt and used the Force to push Bath back, then lift her gently into the air.

"You could become very powerful, Jedi, restricting you're anger is holding you back"

"I'm more powerful than you think"

"Lets see shall we", Zexar stated as he released Beth and withdrew his saber, igniting it at once, the red glow shining brightly on his face.

Zexar blocked the mid-height swing, which preceded a low right and high left attack. Beth was fighting all over the place, trying to force her way through his defence, something that was practically impossible. Zexar had always been an overall good swordsman but had favored a defensive approach which required less energy consumption, meaning he could tire his opponent out without exerting much effort himself. Offensive counter-attacks were what won battles for him as a Jedi, but brute strength and anger now assisted his offense as a Sith. Beth fought on, breaking a sweat as she began to lose energy, tiring from her constant offense. She locked sabers with Zexar at the moment he began to speak.

"Anger courses through you, surely you see that"

"Never, I am a Jedi"

"I was a Jedi"

Beth shouted in anger at him and started to swing at Zexar much quicker and harder, causing him to defend himself much more efficiently. She leaped over Zexar's head and quickly spun and attacked, which was blocked by Zexar, before he then spun as well and destroyed her light-saber handle.

"You have lost", Zexar stated, power glittering in his eyes as he used the Force to push Beth into his own torture chamber, raising the shields.

Beth raised herself to her feet, looking coldly into Zexar's eyes, admiration and confusion swimming through her mind; she resented this fact, after all he is a Sith. She had lost to him, like her predecessor Master Luco and his padawan Ashura. As she caught her breath she noticed how Darth Zexar did not even appear slightly fatigued by their fight.

"You're powerful, even for a Sith", Beth finally said.

"The Sith are powerful, we use our emotions to aid us in battle", Zexar began. He was determined to turn Beth, she would become a powerful apprentice, "The Jedi fail to realize this, the Sith are not evil, we are just followers of a different ideal. The Jedi strive to eradicate all emotion from their minds, creating a mind-less follower of the light. Yes, the Sith are not perfect and stray from their purpose but are the Jedi so great?"

"No, they aren't. I have come to realize this, what you say makes sense. Sith or no Sith, you always were persuasive"

"I am just speaking the truth. I can't say I am in total agreement with the Sith"

Seven assassin droids ran through the door as Zexar finished speaking, and began to fire at Zexar, which he blocked immediately.

"Stop, I order you to stop firing", Beth ordered.

The droids ceased fire and the yellow-shouldered droid, who appeared to be the leader, spoke to Beth.

"We have lost contact with the Jedi on Coruscant and Dantooine. They've cut our transmissions"

"That's disturbing news, thank you commander"

As the droids left Zexar gave Beth an I-told-you-so look.

"They've betrayed you as they did me"

Zexar released the shield holding Beth into the chamber, as he saw the hurt of betrayal in her eyes.

"Join me, become my apprentice, Darth Jonai", Zexar stated, allowing the dark side to lick her teasingly, much like a flame.

Beth closed her eyes and allowed the dark side to engulf her body, her mind, and her conscience. The ways of a Sith were imprinted in her brain and she became Zexar's apprentice, the decision had been made. She kneeled down to Darth Zexar and bowed her head in respect.

"Rise, Darth Jonai"

Darth Jonai stood in front of Zexar with her new red light-saber, amazed at how she had turned from everything she had once been, the Jedi were traitorous. Zexar fiddled with the computer console once again and released Telon from her chamber, although she still lay unconscious. He used the Force to gently pick her up and transported her to an empty bunk in a room opposite the holding cells.

"Master", Jonai started, "My apprentice Drelo is on the ship, as are Masters Vett and Tepel"

"Will they have heard any of what was going on?"

"No, this is a large cruiser and they are in the training facilities. Don't worry, they won't be able to feel our presence in the dark side"

"How?"

"A little gift of mine"

"How intriguing. We should go to them"

"Don't waste your time on them, they will never turn"

"I wasn't planning to, now, Vett and Tepel are mine"

"Just what I was thinking Master"

Zexar touched the Force to navigate his way through the ship, quickly reaching the training facility where he could hear the hums and clashes of light-sabers.

Zexar touched the door pad on the wall to initiate the unlocking sequence, and stepped into the light metallic room. Vett and Tepel heard the entrance and stopped sparring, as did Drelo who turned off the blaster deflection trainer.

"Aaron? Where have you been? The council have sent teams to find you", Tepel asked, shocked.

"I've been at the Sith academy, and I have destroyed a Jedi team. Luco and Ashura really didn't present much of a challenge"

"You", Vett accused; he had almost disapproved of him as much as Marsh, "It's you, the new Sith"

"Darth Zexar, yes"

Darth Jonai decided it was her cue to enter, and walked slowly through the door, drawing level with Zexar.

"Beth? No, it can't be", her apprentice, Drelo, stated as he acknowledged her, "You traitor", he screamed at her.

"I go by the name of Jonai now"

"Darth Zexar, you always were a nasty piece of work", Vett said, igniting his blue light-saber, as did Tepel.

"Three members lost in one day, the council will not be happy with me at all", Zexar stated arrogantly as he ignited his saber too, attacking Vett and Tepel.

Beth and Drelo both ignited their sabers and met half way, fighting to the death. Master and apprentice. They both favored an offensive attack, both attacking quickly and effectively, needing to quickly recover to their defense in aid of their counter attack. Zexar, on the other hand, was quite enjoying himself, blocking attacks from both Jedi Masters and providing them with a strong offense of his own. He had been born to fight, a warrior from birth, and his family had known this, giving him up to the Jedi must have been hard. He was letting his mind drift again, and must be fully engaged in his fight, killing the Masters was only the beginning. Vett made a risky move which proved too risky as Zexar dodged an attack from Tepel and moved his saber upwards into Vett's attack, slicing off his arm and using the Force to push him against the wall hard enough to shatter all his bones. Tepel looked shocked at Vett's sudden exit from the fight, and locked saber's with Zexar, pushing hard against him.

"Master Tepel, you have lost", Zexar exhaled.

"The Jedi go on, darkness awaits a Sith", Tepel stated, defeat lingering in his breath.

"Darkness is peaceful", Zexar finished as he pushed into Tepel before ducking under his attack.

Beth leaped over Drelo and stabbed behind her into air; speed had been Drelo's strong point. He quickly came into view in front of her and managed to slice off two of her fingers from her left hand, although she held her saber in her right. She screamed in pain as he then lifted her up and smashed her down to the ground multiple times until she lay unconscious and broken on the metal floor. Drelo joined the fierce fight between Zexar and Tepel, quickly engaging Zexar and causing a little more trouble than before he took part. Zexar disarmed Drelo in a quick movement by removing his hands, then in a swift movement, having blocked Tepel, beheaded Drelo. Zexar used the Force and lifted Tepel into the air slightly, holding him there lightly.

"Surrender and your life will be spared", Zexar offered, coldly.

"You are very powerful Zexar, I can't deny that. But you must see the error of your ways. Killing without remorse will not cure the betrayal you feel"

"Surrender or die Jedi"

"There is still light within you _Aaron_", Tepel said boldly.

Zexar felt furious at being referred to his Jedi ways, and lashed out at Tepel, using the Force to pull him towards him so he could drive his saber through Tepel's knee caps. Tepel screamed in agony at the searing pain and heat in his legs.

"Aaron, do not reject your true heritage", Tepel screamed through gritted teeth.

"My name", Zexar shouted, now driving his saber into Tepel's right shoulder, "Is Zexar"

"Zexar, Aaron, the name does not matter. You are a Jedi at heart. There is still light in your heart", Tepel forced out, wincing heavily at the pain.

"If I were a Jedi, I would not have killed Vett and Drelo"

"If you were a Sith, you would have killed me"

"Tepel, last chance, surrender or die"

"Death will serve me better"

Before Tepel had chance to brace himself for his death Zexar had sliced through his waist, cutting him in two and letting him fall to the ground.

Zexar used the Force to pick Jonai up, and took her to the ships medical room to replace her fingers. He found the battle intriguing; apprentices had won, beaten their Masters. Drelo had defeated Jonai while Zexar had destroyed his Jedi council Masters Vett and Tepel. Having placed Darth Jonai in the medical droids care, he walked to Telon's room, laying down beside her on the exceptionally large bunk. She tossed and turned in her tormented state, as Zexar lay and allowed his thoughts to engulf him. _I can't let go of that light. Without it I can't maintain sanity, I would become just another Sith. I don't want to be like this but theres no other way aside the Jedi, and that is something he will never indulge in again, no matter how tempting it may be. I can't be the perfect Jedi, or the perfect Sith, I know I'm too weak to be either, but something in between is how I like to __live, emotions fueling my battle. I look forward to my encounter with Master Carly and my partner, Lauren, they will never accept what I've become, but maybe, just maybe, they will join my cause. But what if they won't join? What if they engage me? Will I have the strength and kill them? Telon will help me, I am sure of it. I don't know why I feel so attached to Telon, I can't quite put my finger on it. She had told him she was a Jedi once, maybe he had seen her before on Coruscant, not Dantooine, he was sure of that much. There was one thing he was sure of, for now, and he didn't know how long it would take for Telon to awaken or for Jonai to heal. He was lonely and alone to explore his mind. He didn't like the sound of it, he didn't want to find anything in his head he didn't want to know. _

"No", Telon shouted loudly, apparently awoken.

She was panting loudly and tears escaped her eyes as she adjusted to the sudden light and situation.

"Telon? What happened?"

"Just a...dream. Whats happened here?"

"You missed quite a lot", Zexar explained, giving Telon a detailed analysis of what had happened.

"You defeated two Jedi Masters and an apprentice?"

"Yeah, it was fairly fun, actually"

"Strange person you are", Telon laughed, "What's the plan"  
"Carry on as normal, don't tell Jonai the mission, continue to kill the Jedi. And this way, we get help from Jonai's assassin droids"

"You planned this all along didn't you?"

"Yes. Now we best get to the cockpit, get this cruiser headed for Tatooine"

Zexar and Telon made their way to the cruisers cockpit and entered the hyperspace co-ordinates for Tatooine, blasting off through the shortest route.

"We'll be lucky to get there in one piece"

"Oh sit back and relax, I've taken this route before"

"I really don't take comfort using your own personal routes"

"If you feel so strongly, take our Sith ship"

"And leave you alone? I couldn't let you have your own way with everything regarding flying, I'd have to complete the mission alone"

"You saying I'm a bad pilot?"

"No, just a foolish one", Telon finished.

Zexar found himself trying not to laugh at Telon, her brilliant personality wasn't destroyed like most Sith, which made the mission much more enjoyable. In truth, Zexar was falling for her.


	6. Captured Lord

Due to the only human crew on the cruiser now being Zexar, Telon, and Jonai, they were free and safe to go anywhere, doing what they liked until they reached the planet Tatooine. Zexar's mind was clogged, allowing him to easily sway from his own thoughts and appear miles away. To clear his thoughts he decided to indulge in a less than enjoyable experience for him, meditation. Sitting on a soft mat in the training facility, he closed his eyes and grabbed a hold of the Force, emptying his mind into it. He dwelt on the recent past, unlocking all the details; hoping to find a flaw in his fighting style, something he could then perfect. Even in meditation he was becoming distracted, unlocking his won thoughts all lead to the same result. Telon. He couldn't force her from his mind, and the more he tried the more she distracted him, killing the mood for meditation.

With a clear mind other than the thought of Telon, he unclipped his light-saber and released five expert droids, powerful stun shots loaded. He ignited his saber and fury took over, clouding his thoughts and senses. He had recently become full of anger, most likely due to hiding his emotions, something he would have to deal with, as he was becoming more and more of a Sith everyday. The droids fired multiple shots in quick succession, and no results were obtained, leaving them a close-combat option. The each pulled out a long light-saber-resistant shock rods, before engaging Zexar. Their droid programming was at such sophistication that they could almost think for themselves, rather than mindlessly attacking their opponent. The first droid to become victim to Zexar's deadly attack was a M7T4-K mid-distance combat droid, which allowed itself to be backing into a corner. Zexar had leapt above it onto the wall and as it had moved forward he had propelled himself downwards, slicing it through the middle vertically. The second droid took Zexar by surprise as it swung at him immediately after he destroyed the first droid, leaving him to duck, kick out it's legs, and slice it through the chest on the ground. A droid ran at him from each side but he didn't prepare to engage so as they both reached him and swung he leapt into the air, causing them to decapitate each other, leaving one droid. The last droid spontaneously exploded as the room blacked out, Zexar felt the cold metal of the floor as he collapsed.

"_Aaron, no", Carly begged._

_Aaron looked deep into her eyes, pain swirling in his eyes. He raised his saber and stared coldly into her eyes._

"_This isn't you Aaron, let me help you", Carly tried once again._

"_The Jedi are evil"_

_Aaron brought down his saber to where she was backing into the corner..._

"This was too easy", a familiar voice spoke, after what seemed hours unconscious.

"Don't underestimate him, the council did, as did I", another spoke.

Who were they? Where was he? And more importantly, how did he get here? His head felt like it had been split in two with molten metal pouring onto his brain. He had never had pain like this before but he was unable to release it into the Force. The Force. It was gone. The pain may have been caused by the restriction of using the Force, something he had from birth, and whoever had restricted it from him was no friend of his. It was pure evil, something a Sith would do to spite their Jedi enemies as prisoners.

"Are you sure about this?", the first voice said.

"Yes"

Zexar slowly opened his eyes, slowly adjusting to the bright outdoor light. He looked around and saw two silhouetted figures standing at his sides, but even thought he couldn't see their faces, he knew who they were.

"Aaron, you're awake at last, we're glad we got you off that ship alive", his old Jedi Master, Carly said clearly.

Zexar slowly regained the power of his voice but stay mute for a few moments, taking in the situation without the use of the Force.

"Where am I?", Zexar quizzed them.

"A thank you would have been nice", Lauren said, sarcastically.

"Aaron, as you can respect, we can't tell you our location"

"I presume, Carly, that you know my true identity"

"Yes, we do Darth Zexar", Carly began, "But Aaron is how we know you, and whilst you are our prisoner, you shall be addressed Aaron"

Zexar began to wonder how they had infiltrated Jonai's ship, and why they had only taken him, not Telon or Jonai. His head was effecting his thoughts but Carly had soon picked up on this.  
"Lauren, you need sleep", Carly said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Lauren nodded at the apparent signal, and walked off to the small hut to their left.

"Aaron, I am sorry about the Force suppression, but it's too risky to allow you to use it", Carly began, genuinely sorry, "We have not contacted the council yet, I want to talk to you before we do"

"Carly, I am not going to rejoin the light"

"I realize that, but I know there is still light within you, I just can't give up on you; you're like a son to me"

"Don't waste your time on me Jedi"

"Bespin changed you, what happened to make you this hateful?"

"Marsh abandoned me, I was left for dead against Grunto"

"A Jedi would never do that, the Jedi were right about you, weren't they?", Carly started, "You never respected the code, never respected them in general"

"If I wasn't abandoned, where was Marsh throughout the battle?"

"He never left his cruiser, he reported to the council moments after you were abducted"

"Lying scum", Zexar spat, "How did you get me from that cruiser? And why only me? There were three Sith abroad including me"

"You, Aaron, are who we have been sent to rescue. That is why everyone you will have encountered has been surprised to see you"

"Why would the council send Jedi to save me?"

"Because the Jedi need you, Aaron"

"Do you know what I've done? Who I've killed?"

"We heard rumors that-", Carly started before being cut off by Zexar.

"Master Luco and his apprentice Ashura, Masters Vett and Tepel, and Darth Jonai's old apprentice, Drelo"

"So they're true. You do realize you will be executed by the council, yes?"

"I sense they won't execute me immediately"

"No, they want to turn you, re-initiate you as a Jedi. You've become very powerful, they realize this now"

"If I'd known all I would have to do was kill a few Masters then I would have done it a long time ago", Zexar stated, in a tone where Carly was unsure if he was joking or not.

"Aaron, I've been ordered to contain you in a torture chamber until the council arrive. I shall take you now", Carly said slowly.

She used the Force to lift up the platform Zexar was tied to, and took him into the Jedi ship that was stationed a few minutes to the left. He was taken into the interrogation room, and untied before being settled into a large torture chamber.

"Sleep well Sith", Carly said coldly.

She pressed a button outside the chamber, and released a small droid which injected him with a luminous green liquid, which immediately knocked him cold.

_Zexar couldn't believe what he had just done, he had never intended to do it at all. He needed to find Telon and Jonai, God knows what he was thinking leaving them, now this was all the harder. Death had met him ever since he had become a Sith, but this was all different, this was much more personal; Telon was in danger. This meant a lot to him, he must find them both before anything happened, and he knew he didn't have long, just long enough however._

Zexar opened his eyes to a searing pain rushing through his body, no doubt from the injection he had been given. The bright orange shields around him shone brightly, the only source of light in the room. He knew he wouldn't be able to escape the way he was being treated; they had obviously decided to keep him weak. The pain in his veins became unbearable until he screamed loudly, venting his pain and anger vocally. Carly, who had not changed her appearance in the slightest, came into the room and ordered a droid to inject Zexar with a antidote, so he would be able to speak to her, which it obediently did.

"Darth Zexar, the council have been informed of your capture and wish for me to interrogate you. I'm to get answers in any way possible"

"The Jedi are borderline Sith nowadays"

"Aaron, there is a great difference between the Jedi and the Sith"

"Yes, the Sith use their emotions"

"And the Jedi do not abuse their power"

"The Jedi want power just as much as the Sith"

"Enough. Where is Grunto's Sith academy?"

"Carly, no manner of torture will make me talk"

Carly looked devastated as she looked through the orange shields at Zexar, their past flicking through her mind. The look on her face made Zexar think of their past as well, causing anger to build up inside him. The Jedi had destroyed it all.

"C, I'm sorry about the pain I've caused you", Zexar said, his old self shining through.

"Aaron, I can never condone what you've done, but I can forgive you"

"I can't forgive myself, I realize what I've done is wrong, but I've caused too much trouble to ever return to the Jedi"

"No, it's not true. Yes, you would be frowned upon until you gained trust, but you would be accepted back into the order", hope filling her words.

"I can't do it C. I hate the Jedi for what they've done"

Lauren walked through the open door slowly, unnoticed by Carly or Zexar.

"Do you hate me? Lauren?"

"For being Jedi, yes"

"HOW COULD YOU SAY THAT", Lauren bellowed in his direction.

She ran from the room and left the cruiser, running to her room in the small hut they had made their temporary home.

_How can that Sith bastard hate us for being Jedi, we're the defenders of peace. I doubted if my duties could over-ride my feelings for him but now I know I could kill that scum if necessary; should he escape he will feel my wrath. He may be a powerful Sith but I can overcome him, I know I can, after all, I have proven myself worthy of Master status in the training rooms in the Jedi Temple. For the past weeks we have worked hard to find him, get him away from everyone unscathed, and now we do, he hates us for being Jedi, and whats worse, Carly still cares for him. I know they are like mother and son, but how can she possibly forgive everything he has done. Four members of the council have been lost thanks to him, three dead and one a Sith. He has destroyed everything he stood for, revenge fuels every cell of his body and I hate to feel how he lives. I know he enjoys the power he now has, and he especially enjoys the fact he has killed many of those who never appreciated his as a Jedi. _

"Lauren?", Carly asked carefully as she entered, "Are you alright?"

"No, I'm not. I loved that man Carly, he has destroyed that for revenge"

"He loves you, Lauren, deep down beyond all the hurt"  
"_He_ hurts? The Sith scum should be pleased with all the destruction he's caused"

"He feels betrayed, whether he was or not, I don't know. He is a good man, just misguided. I firmly believe he can be redeemed"

"Why would anyone want him back in the order?"

"He has made mistake but no one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes"

"Not everyones mistake consist of killing three Jedi Masters and two apprentices. Oh and turning another Master", Lauren choked out, clearly outraged that she was protecting him.

"Admittedly his mistakes have been catastrophic, but deep down, he does regret his actions"

"The only thing that can redeem him would be his death, it's none less than he deserves. In fact, death is too quick for him", Lauren stated coldly, before using the Force to push Carly from the room, and to jam the door shut.

Darth Zexar would pay for what he has done; what pain he has caused her and the republic.


	7. Rescue Attempt

"Where is he?", Jonai asked Telon.

"Jonai, can you shut up. I'm trying to concentrate here", Telon said as she tried to meditate.

Jonai turned her back to Telon and sat down on a meditation mat the other side of the room, giving Telon space. Telon was desperately trying to find Zexar's signature in the Force, but was unable to find it, despite their close bond he never knew existed between them.

"It's useless. I can't find any trace of him despite the fact we have a close bond"

"Well what happened to him?"

"There's two options, he was killed, or someone has restricted the Force from him"

"I sense the council was involved"

"As do I, but I sense his captives have different motives from the council, and each other in fact"

"What do you mean?"

"I feel as if one wants to have him executed and one wants him redeemed for his sanity, whereas the council want him redeemed for the sake of the order"

"You don't think it could be his old Jedi Master Carly?"

"It seems likely"

A pilot droid they had programmed to take control of the ship when they weren't in the cockpit suddenly came into the room, it's dark blue metal head empty of emotion. What Telon would give to feel no emotion now.

"Mistress", it addressed Telon, "We have an incoming transmission from Darth Grunto on Korriban"

"Accept the transmission"

The droid pressed a button on the small device he was holding, and a large image of Darth Grunto popped out of it.

"Darth Jonai, I assure you that Darth Zexar can easily be found", Grunto started, "When he was taken here I placed a small tracking device within his left forearm. I am sending you the co-ordinates to the system he is being held on: Chandrila. His exact location is being sent to you as well"

"Thank you, Master", Telon bowed.

"Get Zexar off that planet, alive, or it will be fatal on your part", Grunto stated, before returning back into the device.

"Thank you RDF-6, set the co-ordinates and jump to hyperspace"

The droid left the training room and resumed it's post in the cockpit, where it input the co-ordinates sent by Darth Grunto. The two Sith both followed the droid after a few minutes, and took over piloting the ship, Telon's dislike of flying wasn't something she could overcome when someone else was piloting the ship. She double checked the co-ordinates and readied them both for the jump, which had always managed to take her by surprise, no matter how often she did it.

"You got a plan?", Jonai asked.

"Not in the slightest. I work better that way"

"That's comforting"

Telon rolled her eyes at Jonai's sarcasm, and left the cockpit, hoping for some quality thinking time.

_This is driving me crazy, why did he have to get abducted now; just as we're on track to an important planet. We both know exactly why we were headed towards Tatooine, and it's a good plan, if somewhat ridiculous. Then again, we have both been known to do ridiculous things within the Jedi, but not the Sith for some reason, maybe thats why we're going there. I wish I could get him out of my head for just a minute, I feel like I'm going to explode. Not that I don't want to think of him, I just can't let myself, I know what will end up happening. I fear the mission Grunto sent us on was a plot. He wants me and Zexar to grow closer and grow to love each other so that he can kill me and make Zexar much more powerful. It's a clever plot. Zexar would kill Grunto where he stood, and become the most powerful Sith Lord we have ever had, but I can't allow Grunto's plan to succeed. No matter how hard I try, I know he's succeeding. I've fallen for him._

"Telon?", Jonai asked her.

"Yes Jonai?"

"Are you okay? Since Zexar has gone you've changed"

"I'm fine, I'm close friends with Zexar, that's all"

"You've fallen for him haven't you?"

"I don't know Jonai"

Jonai nodded and left, obviously realizing her presence was irritating her.

_Jonai has been the most irritating woman to be around in the past few days since Zexar has gone. I must admit the Jedi who took him are brilliant tacticians, managing to sneak into a large cruiser undetected and abduct the strongest Sith on the vessel without a struggle. Blacking the ship out was a good plan especially as by the time we had power back they had jumped to hyperspace so we were totally unable to track their ships destination. I fear Grunto waited too long to contact us, two days ago we contacted him and only now he contacts us with the information of where we are headed. He is trying to make me realize how I feel about him but surely Zexar's safety is much more important than his own plan. After all, if the council get to Chandrila before us, Zexar will be taken to Coruscant, out of our reach, so he will surely be killed. I just hope we get there on time. _

"Darth Zexar", Lauren said coldly, looking into his eyes, "How does it feel to be a prisoner once again?"

"Quite relaxing actually", Zexar replied.

Just as Lauren had done earlier in the day, she pressed a button on the torture console to give him a small shock; a taster for whats to come.

"Wheres your Sith base?"

"The Dune Sea of Tatooine", Zexar replied, sarcastically once more, causing Lauren to shock him again.

"What was your mission?"

"Now that, my love, is a secret"

"My love", Lauren repeated as she shocked him again, "You were _my love _back before you turned your back on the Jedi"

"That may be so. You do realize torture will never open my mouth"

"That may be so", Lauren repeated again, mockingly.

She shocked him but this time let the shock last at least twenty seconds.

"You would make a good Sith", Zexar spat out, gasping for breath.

Lauren used the Force to pull a metal pipe from the wall and sent it into the torture chamber, before hitting Zexar around the head hard enough to knock him cold once again.

"Telon, we've arrived at Chandrila", Jonai shouted from outside the room.

"Finally, board my small ship, we can take that down easily undetected"

"Will do, I shall bring twenty droids as well"

Jonai boarded the ship, strapping herself into the co-pilots seat with blaster cannon controls. Telon joined her shortly after and they took off from the cruiser, and flew manually down to where Zexar was supposedly being held. The lush grass-land stretched untouched for miles into the distance, wild animals grazing on the green vegetation. Telon pressed a small purple button which immediately cloaked the ship, so they could fly low without being seen by the Jedi. After an hour of low flying, they noticed a small silver bump in the horizon, shaped like a ship. They carefully approached the area, landing a kilometer away from the large Jedi ship.

"Jonai, get the droids ready"

"Consider it done", Jonai replied.

Telon got up and ran a hand through her long black hair, allowing it to take it's natural untouched place over her right eye. She unclipped her light-saber from her belt and ignited it, and ran her eyes up and down the blade, taking in an unseen dept. She withdrew the blade and held it in her hand, the familiar weight causing her to smile. If this was Master Carly, she should start off controlled, their past was unsettling at best.

"Ready when you are", Jonai called.

Telon pulled up her black hood and left the cockpit, walked past Jonai and the droids, and opened the ramp with the Force.

"Jonai, I'm the commander, remember that", Telon said slowly.

"Yes, I know"

Telon took a deep breath and walked towards the Jedi ship, holding her light-saber hilt in her right hand. No Jedi seemed present but Telon could feel their presence. Telon briefly paused when they reached the Jedi cruiser's hatch, but strode boldly in, ignoring the warning calls through the Force.

"Darth Telon, not one for stealth are you?", Carly stated, appearing from behind them.

"Darth Jonai, nice to see your traitorous face again", Lauren said, coming from the other end of the corridor to Carly.

"Master Carly, how nice to see you again", Telon spat out.

"Master Veronica, I agree", Carly said, smirking at Telon's reaction to her Jedi name.

"Veronica died along time ago Jedi"

"Apparently so", Carly began, "Shame you came, Darth Zexar was enjoying being a lone captive"

"Well we don't plan on being captives, prepare to die Carly", Telon replied.

Telon and Jonai ignited their red light-sabers at the same time as Carly and Lauren ignited their blue sabers. The droids opened fire on Carly and Lauren, but were all obliterated within seconds. Carly and Telon met in a harsh offensive made on Telon's part, whereas Jonai and Lauren clashed more equally, both attacking at the same time. Red and blue merged together and from distance it would appear as if they were fighting with purple light-sabers, rather than the deadly red and defensive blue. Telon pushed Carly further into the ship, fighting strongly on the offense, whereas Lauren and Jonai began to push each other towards the ships exit.

Telon refused to open her self for attack so continued to push into Carly, exerting a little more effort than Carly, but successfully putting Carly on the defence. All she had to do was keep up the offense like this and Carly was bound to make a mistake, every clash, every movement was potentially lethal; her pure energy blade threatening to end Carly's life prematurely. Carly knew this however, and tried to force her way back into an offense, something Telon was making impossibly hard. Carly engaged Telon and forced her into a saber lock.

"Telon, turn from the dark, I can feel you don't enjoy the hate and pain within you"

"Why don't you turn from the light?"

"So we're enemies either way?"

"Precisely"

Telon pulled out of the lock and viciously swung at Carly, who narrowly ducks under and attacks herself, managing to singe Telon's side, causing her to jump back clutching her side. Carly approached again and sliced off her right wrist, before using the Force to push her through the door into the torture chambers where Zexar was being held. Telon clutched her wrist but released the shields to Zexar's chamber. Zexar picked up Telon's saber and cut along the back of his left wrist and up his arm to where the Force preventing chip was, before ripping it out. He grabs hold of the Force and breathes in deeply, allowing it to engulf him, before he chases after Carly, who had cut a man-sized hole in the ceiling before jumping through to the maintenance shafts tunnels.

Jonai and Lauren were fighting a equally fierce, but much different battle to Carly and Telon. They had both mastered the skill of balancing offense with defense, causing them to be equally skilled in each section of light-saber combat. Jonai pushed Lauren back with a hard hit, and sent a volley of Force lightening towards her, which she blocked with her saber.

"Give up Sith", Lauren taunted.

"I was more skilled than you as a Jedi, and I have grown in strength since my induction into the dark side"

"Fool", Lauren stated as she threw herself at Jonai, saber held low.

Jonai met Lauren with a low then high attack, forcing her to move backward. Lauren had trained with Jonai within the sparring room in the Jedi Temple, and knew Jonai's attack style fairly well, but nothing prepared her for this. Jonai could see the battle was going no where and changed her style dramatically, causing an opening for Lauren. Ignorance blinded the Jedi as she plunged in, determined to end the Sith's life. Jonai pulled her saber up with incredible speed and destroyed Lauren's saber, before using the Force to pull a hatch from the Jedi cruiser and throw it at Lauren. She was hit dead on and flew to the floor, barely conscious.

"You may have won Sith, but Master Carly will destroy you"

"Give my regards to Masters Vett and Tepel", Darth Jonai said coldly as she used the Force to pick up the large metal hatch and slam it down on to Lauren's head, killing her.

"Carly", Zexar shouted as his old Jedi Master came into view further up the tunnel.

She paused at the end, trying to find a new route to escape the pursuing Sith. Zexar used a short burst of Force lightening, and caused her to fly into the wall at impact.

"Master Carly, the dark side has prevailed, surely you see this"

"Yes, the dark side, however, is a fate worse than death"

"The power is immense"

"In the long-run, you will be the cause of your destruction my young apprentice"

"Join me, Carly", Zexar begged.

"I will never turn from the light", Carly started, "Join _me_, Aaron, I can help you destroy the dark within you"

"I can't be redeemed, you will not join me, what's the point?", Zexar stated, staring at a gas pipe to his left.

"Aaron, no", Carly begged.

Zexar looked deep into her eyes, pain swirling in his eyes. He raised his saber and stared coldly into her eyes.

"This isn't you Aaron, let me help you", Carly tried once again.

"The Jedi are evil"

Zexar brought down his saber to where she was backing into the corner. He had never intended on this plan working so well. The gas pipe exploded, sending him and Carly flying full force into the metal wall opposite, knocking Carly out in an instant. Zexar coughed and spluttered, trying to regain his breathe but the smoke was too much for him. He quickly checked Carly's pulse to find no beat; he shouldn't find himself doing it, but he was smiling.

"Zexar?", Jonai shouted, "Zexar, are you alright?"

Zexar was walking slowly towards her, the body of Carly in his arms.

"Yes, I'm fine"

"Your bleeding heavily Master, I shall get a medic-droid ready on our ship"

Zexar nodded before following her out of the ship, the hot sun baking down upon them. Telon was sitting next to the small Sith ship, clutching the wrist where her hand should be, and Jonai joined her, helping her up so she could visit the medic-droid. Zexar put Carly's body down next to the Jedi cruiser, and walked into the Sith ship, no remorse showing on his face. They flew the small Sith ship up to where Jonai's Jedi cruiser was, and boarded. Jonai left first, preparing the medic-droids for Zexar and Telon, who followed her after a few minutes.

"Telon, are you alright?", he asked her.

"Yes, it's nothing too bad. Well done with the Jedi Master"

"About that, thank you for your help, without it she would have escaped"

"In case you hadn't noticed, I was helpless on the floor and all I did was release you"

"She would have escaped should you not have released me", Zexar said sympathetically.

"Zexar, seriously, it's nothing"

"No, it's not. You came for me too. The entire council is on the way, they could have beaten you here, and captured you two as well. You have my thanks Telon", Zexar stated, pulling her into a hug.

They both stared into each others eyes, chemistry sparking between them both. Zexar began to close the small gap between them, leaning slowly towards Telon.

"Telon, Zexar, a-", Jonai said, walking into out of the medic room, "Oh, I'm sorry"

"It's okay", Zexar stuttered, not taking his eyes off of Telon.

"The droids are ready for you both"

Telon and Zexar finally broke their stare and walked into their respective rooms, where a medic-droid was waiting for them.

An hour later Zexar's wounds from the explosion and his short spells of torture had been treated, allowing him to pilot the Jedi cruiser whilst Telon's mechanical hand was created. Jonai had taken the role of co-pilot until Telon was able to take up the position.

"Zexar? Why are we going to Tatooine? What's there?", Jonai asked.

"Anchorhead is pulling me towards it, I need to take care of some business there"

"Okay, here's the co-ordinates"

Zexar started to input the co-ordinates as a large Jedi fleet came out of hyperspace in front of them.

"Holy shit", Jonai stated.

"The entire Jedi Council is in that fleet, and by the looks of it, two per ship"

"That large one. Jared is on there", Jonai said, pointing at the largest ship in the centre of the fleet.

"I agree", Zexar began, "Telon? We need you to pilot the ship"

Telon left the medic room early and ran into the cockpit.

"What do you want me to do?"

A transmission was received from a Jedi cruiser, which Zexar declined whilst he delivered his plan to Jonai and Telon.

"Telon, you pilot the ship. Jonai, you use the blaster cannons and destroy as many fighters as you can. I'm going to use the Force on a cruiser, they're not too big"

"That's crazy Zex", Telon shouted.

"Just do it"

"Okay"

"Get to your stations everyone", Zexar started, "May the Force be with you"


	8. Disaster On Rodia

"Brunn, any word from Master Carly?", Jared asked him.

"No. I am afraid the Sith must have killed her whilst releasing Zexar"

"That is very disturbing news Brunn, I shall send Masters Relle and Fren down to Chandrila to look for Carly and Lauren"

Jared walked over to his communicator and sent for a transmission to the Jedi cruiser where Relle and Fren were located, _The Redeemer_.

"Master Relle", Jared started, "As we can all sense, Zexar is abroad Darth Jonai's Jedi cruiser. No word has been received by Master Carly or Lauren, so you and Fren are to take your cruiser down to Chandrila's surface and find Carly"

"Yes Jared"

"May the Force be with you"

Jared then sent a transmission to Darth Zexar's ship, _The Fallen Jedi_.

"They've rejected", Jared muttered.

"Jared", Brunn began, "I can feel a disturbance in the Force. Zexar is attacking _The Redeemer_"

"I sense it too. How though?"

"That's impossible, that ship weighs more than any Jedi could move, let alone destroy"

"This mission has become too dangerous"

Jared and Brunn watched in terror as the massive Jedi cruiser began to fall apart, no physical attack given. Parts of the ship began to fly away into space as the ship now began to crumple, explosions marking a few hundred deaths within. The escape pods now began to disintegrate, one by one, leaving no exit from the ship, due to the hangers having already been destroyed. The ships final blow came from the bridge, glass and metal exploding into the vacuum around it, killing everyone inside, Relle and Fren included. The ship let off a few more explosions before heading down towards Chandrila. All they could hope for now was that the cruiser didn't hit a settlement below.

"Jared, what just happened?", Brunn asked, overflowing with shock.

"Darth Zexar has become more powerful than we could have imagined. He is run by anger"

"But that cruiser, surely he didn't do that alone"

"Master Brunn", Jared started to say, "Even if he didn't do that alone, we all know there are only two more Force-sensitive beings on that cruiser. If all three of them contributed, that does not bode well for the republic. One immensely powerful Sith is bad enough, but three? We can only hope Darth Zexar did it alone"

"I agree, shall we pull the fleet around"

"No, we need that cruiser's hyper drive damaged. That is the only way we can get Zexar out alive"

"He will never leave the Sith, not with his new power"

"We have plans, now we stick to them", Jared said, his word final.

"Jesus Zex", Telon said, watching in shock as the Jedi cruiser was finally destroyed and heading towards Chandrila.

Zexar lay back on the floor where he had been sitting, panting and sweating madly. The Force had strained him completely, taking all his energy and strength to pull the cruiser apart.

"Concentrate on flying Telon", Zexar panted out.

Telon shifted all power to the forward shields, but the Jedi cruisers had already damaged their hyper drive beyond repair.

"Zex, hyper drives gone"

"Shit, get to the small Sith fighter", Zexar ordered Telon and Jonai.

They all ran from the cockpit and boarded to small Sith ship Telon and Zexar had been given for their mission. Telon quickly fired up the engines and left Jonai's Jedi cruiser.

"Telon, set the co-ordinates for Tatooine", Zexar stated.

"Done, the hyper drive isn't working right, they must have hit it somehow", Telon replied, waiting for a few seconds, "Alright, it's working enough now, hold on this is going to be a bumpy ride"

"Nothing more than expected", Jonai remarked.

Telon pulled the lever and sent them all into hyperspace, headed towards Tatooine. The ship was rocking violently, threatening to explode any second. Telon was trying to repair the hyper drive a little more so they would be able to reach Tatooine, but was failing so far.

"Zex, the hyper drive isn't going to get us to Tatooine, I'm pulling out of hyper space"

"Okay, we can stop on the nearest planet to repair it. Jonai, can you send a transmission to Grunto, informing him of the situation"

"Yes Master"

Telon pulled them out of hyper space, which shook the ship more violently than before, knocking Jonai and Zexar off their feet. They were above the planet Rodia, a tropical world covered in jungles and swamps, well known for being the home world of Rodians. A small explosion in the hyper drive rocked the ship violently once again, but there was enough time for Jonai to inform Grunto they needed help on Rodia. The rear end of the ship exploded and caused them to plummet down to Wesessa Sea below and crashed into the shallow waters near the An'yettu Islands. At the collision, Zexar was thrown through the cockpit window as it smashed out, and floated face-down in the still waters. Telon was strapped into her seat and received a blow to the head on impact, but remained conscious. Jonai got thrown around inside the ship and smashed her head onto a gas pipe, nearly knocking her out and spilling gas into the air.

"Zexar!", Telon shouted as she cut herself out of her seat harness and leaped through the window.

The clear, warm tropic water reached up to her neck as she waded towards where Zexar was drowning, and lifted him up with the Force, before sending him slowly towards land. Behind her a small spark ignited as a metal panel fell and scraped on the floor, causing a massive explosion from the gas leak. Telon was sent flying towards the island, as parts of the ship flew in every direction. As she pushed herself back to the surface of the water, a sudden thought hit her. Darth Jonai.

"Jonai?", Telon called.

"T-T-Telon, help me", Jonai called back, having just resurfaced where the ship had been.

Telon swan to where Jonai was located, and used the Force once again to lift her above the water, before sending her in the same direction as Zexar. Telon was now able to swim to the shore herself, where she lay back to the white sand and regained her breath.

"That was eventful", Jonai stated.

"What even happened?", Telon replied.

"I don't know why we went down, but the explosion was my fault. I burst a gas pipe during the crash impact"

"Does Darth Grunto know we're here?"

"Yes, I informed him that we were in need of help on Rodia"

"Good, we just need to survive this place until help arrives"

Telon stood up and tended to Zexar, placing her hand over a large gash on his head, using the Force to heal him.

"Telon?", Jonai began, "Aren't Sith in Grunto's academy meant to abandon any Jedi skills in healing"

"Yes but we're not in Grunto's academy. What he doesn't know won't harm him, will it?"

"No"

"Well then"

"Do you have a problem with me?", Jonai asked.

"Your a recently fallen Jedi, so yes"

"Didn't Chandrila prove anything?"

"Yes, that you are capable of killing a Jedi, whether or not you are involved in a Jedi plan, I don't know"

"So that's what you think? I'm a Jedi spy?"

"I never said that. I'm just not ruling the option out"

"Theres more. Zexar is involved"

"How do you mean?", Telon asked, flinching ever so slightly at the mention of his name.

"You feel threatened by me don't you?"

"No, spit out what you want to say before I gut you"

"Nice. You've fallen for Zexar, I know you have, and you feel threatened by my presence"

"My relationship with Zexar concerns no one, least of all you"

"I think you'll find it does concern me, considering he is my Master"

"Jonai, I have not fallen for Zexar, and I am most certainly not threatened by your presence"

"Oh come off it. I've seen the way you look at each other, most noticeably on my cruiser after Chandrila"

"Jonai, we have a strong bond, you know that. But we don't feel anything towards each other in that way"

"So the intense eye-contact and leaning towards each other was just part of your routine then?"

"What is your interest with me and Zexar's relationship anyway? Why does it matter to you?"

"Well you claim to be Sith, but you have shown yourselves to be nothing more than an emotional Jedi"

Telon unclipped her light-saber and ignited it, pointing it towards Jonai, who ignited her own saber at the same time. Jonai laughed as she had found what she was looking for: a weakness.

"Jedi. What did they do to you to make you that hateful"

"You know damn well Jonai"

"It is you, Master Veronica", Jonai started, "So Master Carly was correct. That is disturbing news isn't it?"

"I am Darth Telon. No one else", Telon shouted.

"Your as messed up as Zexar. Fallen Jedi, not totally lost to the darkness"

"How dare you, Zexar could have killed you on your cruiser"

"He would have been killed by Vett, Tepel, and my apprentice Drelo"

"As I am aware, you were taken out by Drelo, who lasted mere seconds against Zexar, who took on and killed two Jedi Masters. That's more than most Sith accomplish. He has removed six Masters from the council, five of which are now dead"

"He cared enough to let me live"

This comment made Telon lose control, and she swung at Jonai. They both engaged each other and fought quickly and fiercely until they were interrupted. Zexar had awoken from his state and had engaged in the fight as well, fighting them both off each other in between them.

"Stop both of you", he shouted as he disarmed Jonai and used the Force to push Telon backwards, away from Jonai, "What's going on?"

"Nothing", Telon shouted as she deactivated her light-saber and ran off towards the small islands jungle.

Zexar looked at Jonai, who was smiling in a twisted way, as if she had intentionally caused Telon pain. He then turned to run after Telon, catching her mid-way through the jungle.

"Telon, wait", Zexar called.

Telon stopped but didn't turn around, "You can't begin to understand how I feel Zex"

"I can, Ronnie"

"What did you call me?"

"I remember you. From Coruscant during my training. I remember I left for Dantooine when I was fourteen"

"I thought you had forgotten me, I was made a Jedi Master a month after you left, and I fell to the dark side a year after that"

"What happened to make you fall? You were so sure of the light"

"My Master, Vandan Bray, betrayed me on Veron, and I killed him in hate and anger. I had been played by Fanu, who had used Vandan as a pawn in his plan, much like Grunto is using me now"

"What are you talking about?"

"Grunto's plan", Telon started, "There is no weapon Zexar, he has sent us on a mission to destroy the Jedi, filling ourselves with hate and anger. He plans to let our bond grow, and kill me, to make you lose control and strike him down. This would fill you with the hate and anger needed to lead the Sith to victory in this war"

"We need to stop him, Telon"

"I know, we will be taken back to Korriban once they arrive here, and once we are inside the academy, his plan will commence"

"No, it won't, I won't allow him to succeed"

"Why? I'm only another Sith"

"No, your not", Zexar started, placing his right hand on her cheek, "Because I-"

"What is up with you two? Seriously", Jonai shouted, interrupting Zexar mid sentence.

Zexar's anger over flowed and he lashed out, spinning around to face her with tremendous speed and used the Force to leap at her, tackling her to the ground. He pulled out his light-saber and ignited it inches from her face, and then moved the saber lightly onto her face, cutting a line down the left side, from her hair line to her chin. A permanent scar. He resumed his anger-full attack and used the Force to lift her up before throwing her full force into a large tree, which subsequently collapsed.  
"Master, what are you doing?", Jonai screamed, writhing around in pain.

"I may not be as attuned to the dark side as the others, but I can't control myself when I'm pissed off"

"Zexar, you are nothing more than an emotional Jedi. You attack out of anger not hatred for your enemy. You're a waste of Sith space", Jonai shouted as she rose to her feet and ran from the forest.

Zexar dropped to his knee's, burying his head in his hands as the reality of Jonai's words hit him.

"Zexar, you can't listen to her", Telon said, comforting him as she walked over to sit at his side.

"It's true though"

"No, it's not"

"Telon, I left the Jedi order to get revenge on Marsh, but I have failed. I have been tricked by Grunto. I'm a failure"

"Don't say that Zex, together we can destroy Grunto, along with the entire Sith academy on Korriban"

"Why do you want to help me Telon?"

"You know how I feel about you"

"As do you. I just can't. Not yet", Zexar finished, standing up and walking back towards their crashed ship.

"I understand", Telon replied, getting up and following him.

Zexar sat with his back on the rear end of the ship, staring out into the Wesessa Sea as his thoughts were filled with Telon. She was sitting at the top of a tree nearby watching him as he thought, he pulled her in in so many ways he would never understand.

_We both know we can't be together, should Grunto find out he will use it as a weakness, exploit it. The Jedi code suddenly made sense to me, as I have fallen against it and fallen in love, I finally understand their reasoning. Love within the Jedi would allow the Sith a critical advantage: should they come into possession of one participant, the other will become angry, their fall would become much easier. I can't understand why Zexar had been allowed to continue his relationship with Lauren, but the Jedi are unpredictable, at times more so than the Sith, and have also been known to bend the rules for specific reasons. The Jedi may have set this as a trial for Zexar, but I find that unlikely. If they were trying to unlock his true power they would never risk the lives of their fellow Masters, or would they? At times I find the Jedi as ruthless and corrupt as we Sith, but at least they have morals, at times. Me and Zexar may well be the most merciful Sith but we've had our fair share of battles, all of which we come off on top. My feelings towards Zexar have destroyed what little amount of the dark side was within me, as he has filled me with hope and true feeling, a __feeling I wish to feel. I doubt I would ever be able to rejoin the Jedi, I have abandoned them, but at __times I wish I had never left, no matter how I felt towards them. I feel the Jedi will cause the destruction of themselves one day, pushing out a talented Jedi in the hopes of protecting his destiny from the ways of the dark side, something they will fail at due to the interference of a powerful Sith Lord. The future is clouded for me by the light side, as a Jedi the dark side clouded the future. I miss my days as a Jedi at times, but they don't compare to now, Zexar is my world. A large Sith cruiser has come into view, it's now descending from space, no doubt our escape route out of here. Zexar looks agitated, and he keeps his hand on his sabers hilt, no matter what. I admire him for that, he never lets his defence down. With any luck, Grunto will not expect his demise on Korriban. _


	9. Betrayal On Korriban

_**Thanks to BethyHIsOffTheChain-x and Falling Danger for reviews and for supporting my ideas :) 04/09/09**_

"I was right to spare you Zexar, turn you rather than destroy", Grunto stated, smugly as he welcomed them back to Korriban's academy.

"Thank you", Zexar replied, "But Telon deserves a lot more thanks than I"

"Too modest, for a Sith"

"I'm only being honest. She's a brilliant fighter and pilot, she has really got me out of bad situations, especially Chandrila"

"She is a fallen Jedi, she can not be given the same credit"

"_I_ am a fallen Jedi, she has been a Sith much longer than I have"

"You, Zexar, are and exception"

"Why? Because I took down that cruiser with the Force? Or that you just prefer me to her"

"A little of both, but most notably the first", Grunto started, "How did you do it?"

"Truthfully I don't know"

"A clever tactical move, you-"

"Hang on, I didn't do anything tactically, except to get us out of there", Zexar cut in.

"As I was saying, in one move you made yourself the most feared Sith within the Jedi order, as well as being recognized as a true Sith Lord within the Sith"

"It's an honor Grunto, but not entirely true. I did take that ship down, but I drew the Force from Telon and Jonai too"

"We both know you drew a minimal amount"

"Yes, but I still think that-"

"No, don't think, act. You and Telon may be close but she is no where near as powerful as you", Grunto interrupted.

"She is more powerful than given credit for", Zexar shouted as he turned swiftly and strolled off to Telon's quarters.

Her quarters were different from the rest: she had decorated them slightly, supposedly so she felt it more of a home than just a place to live. She was laying on her bunk, entwining her long black hair with her fingers. She looked beautiful, more so than he had seen her before if at all possible. Feeling his presence, she looked up and saw him standing there, watching her.

"Nice to see you", she said.

"You too", Zexar began, "Grunto wants you to report to him soon, with my presence which may I say is unusual"  
"Our plan may as well start then"

"Are you okay?"

"I think so, it's just everything that's happened, especially that bitch Jonai, and then re-meeting you"

"I'm sorry, Jonai could have been killed should I have foreseen her path, and I should never had been such an arrogant Jedi, none of this would have happened had I been"

"You sound like you regret falling"  
"I do, I had everything with the Jedi, admittedly not the power and strength I now have but we were fighting for a good cause, whereas now we're fighting for the sake of fighting"

"I agree with you, now, let's go demote Grunto to the catacombs"

Telon leapt up from her bunk and grabbed Zexar's arm, leading him to Grunto's chambers where they were to meet him, sabers in hand. They entered the room quietly and held their light-sabers ready, should Grunto attack them.

"Telon, Zexar, as you are aware I am a extremely powerful Sith Lord, now, put your sabers away, there is no need for them"

Telon and Zexar loosely attached their sabers to their belts so they could be removed in a split second.

"You two have become very close over the past month, and I do not wish to allow you to be as close as you are", Grunto continued, "We Sith also follow that part of the Jedi code which forbids any Sith from loving anyone else"

"Excuse me, but we don't _love_ each other", Zexar said, lying for himself.

"Is this true Telon?", Grunto asked her.

"Yes"

"I sense you are both unsure, and that is enough", Grunto finished as he unclipped his saber from his belt.

Zexar and Telon used the Force to remove their sabers and ignited them, before charging at Grunto as he ignited his. Grunto began to block the attacks as quick as he could in the hopes of getting in a counter attack, but failing. He used the Force on Zexar, who also used the Force, and they were both sent flying back with the Force explosion between them. Telon leaped at Grunto, and attack viciously as he blocked at the same speed, before pushing against her and attacking himself. Telon knew that any mistake she made would be her demise, Zexar would be unable to save her, no matter how much he wanted, and then Grunto's plan would work. Grunto used the Force to send Telon from the room, before using Force lightening on the lock to lock her out. Zexar leaped at him as they locked sabers.

"You're finished Grunto"

"You may be powerful but this, my friend, is out of your league"

"I disagree"

Zexar pulled out of the lock, span around Grunto and sliced his right leg off at the knee, which incapacitated him. Telon then finally broke through the door and leaped at him, but was intercepted by his Force lightening, which sent her flying through the wall.

"No", Zexar shouted, as he chopped Grunto's arms off.

Grunto shouted in pain and fell forward, then rolled over to face Zexar.

"Out of my league eh?", Zexar teased.

"Zexar, Zex, come on, please", Grunto begged.

"Okay I'll let you live, for a bit longer"

"No, please don't"

Zexar sliced the remains of Grunto's right leg off, before doing the same to his left. Grunto, who was now and arm and legless torso, screamed out in pain.

"Can't get away, can you?"

"Zexar, I beg you, kill me", Grunto whimpered.

"I am sorry but I don't take orders from you anymore, I am _your_ master"

"M-Master, please"

Zexar drove his saber into Grunto's stomach, before slicing through his chest and lobbing his head off.

"Burn in hell", Zexar muttered as he looked down at what was left of Grunto.

Zexar deactivated his light-saber and ran to the large hole where Telon had been thrown through. He leaped through and ran to where the still body of Telon was laying, and sat at her side. She was breathing very shallowly due to the lightening, so Zexar moved hair from her face and used the Force to heal her at the best of his ability.

"Zexar", Telon breathed out as her eyes flickered open.

"Don't speak yet"

Zexar kept healing her for another five minutes until he reached his limit of ability, at which she was okay to stand and walk.  
"Zexar, thank you"

"What for?"

"Stopping Grunto's plan"

"Why are you thanking me, you know why I did it"

"What now?"

"Well, in killing him I became his successor, so this place is under my rule", Zexar said, not particularly happily.  
"Congratulations Zex", Telon replied, bowing to him.

"Please, don't congratulate me, I have a plan", Zexar began to say, "The Sith here, and indeed the galaxy, were under Grunto's control, and I have no intention in keeping alive any one associated with him. We destroy this place Telon, kill everyone"

Zexar's eyes flickered fire, as he looked deep into Telon's calm blue eyes, which immediately calmed him down. He re-ignited his light-saber and walked from Grunto's chamber, ready to slay any who came near.

"Oh look, the traitorous, Jedi scum is here", a young Sith named Helvi shouted across the room.

The small group of seven young Sith ignited their sabers as they saw Zexar walk into the training room. A twisted smile crossed Zexar's face as the Sith charged at them. He blocked their attacks with no apparent difficulty and lobbed the head off one of them causing them to hesitate slightly as Zexar spoke.

"I am no Jedi, and Grunto attacked first"

The Sith began to attack him once again, and he stabbed one and chopped another in half, leaving four demoralized youths in front of him. He became impatient and lashed out with the Force, leaving another four corpses on the floor.

"Zexar, I took five out in the diner, and another seven here, we need to carry on", Telon stated as she ran in.

"Theres only about thirty more here", Zexar finished.

Zexar and Telon left the training room and began to tear the place apart, killing all who they encountered. A fire raged within Zexar's heart as the pain he had held back from Lauren's death was released, something he was unaware of. He didn't know why he mourned silently for Lauren, she had hated him when they last met, and he wasn't too fond of her either, Jedi scum. Telon had picked up on the pain and hate he was releasing and used the Force to draw it into herself, making her more powerful. They were the perfect fighting partners, they complimented each other, and drew in in each others weaknesses and strengths, although Telon was doubting Zexar had any true weaknesses.

"Bow down before me", Zexar ordered to a young Sith who had just been disarmed.

The Sith, who was already kneeling, bowed down to Zexar, who lobbed off her head in one swift move. Twisted.

"Zexar, do they all have to die"

"No, but I shall not let any live who are weak"

"Every one has a weakness"

"That may be true but these youths are barely trained compared to us"

Zexar nodded at what she said but decapitated another as he charged at Zexar. Zexar fought the last young Sith and disarmed him, before using the Force to lift him up.

"Young Sith, what is your name?", Zexar asked him.

"Marendel", he spat out at him.

"Marendel", Zexar repeated, "Darth Marendel you could become. Become my apprentice and live, decline and die"

"I accept your offer Dark Lord. I thank you for sparing me", Marendel said.

Zexar put Marendel down once again, and turned, walking back to Grunto's chambers, which he planned on emptying and creating his own chambers. He ordered a cleaning droid to clear away Grunto's body and waited patiently for the droid to finish.

"Beep beep bloop beep whir", the droid spoke as it left the chamber.  
Zexar walked into the no clean chamber which belonged to Grunto. There were many dark artifacts around the room, no doubt collected from the Sith catacombs and tombs around the Valley of the Dark Lords, and he fully intended on keeping them for himself. The entire room had been changed: the bunk, the black drapes, the walls had been remade following Telon's hole, the floor had been replaced. Everything was new, and Zexar liked this fact.

"Zex, are you alright?", Telon asked as she entered the room.

"Yes, I am sorry about before, I was so angry"

"It's okay"

"No, it's not, I can't live like this, it's terrible"  
"I know, but we can't do anything about it"

"Why?"

"Well we can't rejoin the Jedi, they would never redeem us, and we can't just destroy the entire Sith order throughout the galaxy"

"The Jedi. Redemption would be hard but they would accept, I just can't join them whilst Marsh is still living"

"The council will seek us out, especially after what we've done here"

"I know, we will have to expect it"

Zexar and Telon stared at each other intensely once again, and started to move towards each other, both with one thing in mind.

"Master?", Marendel asked as he walked into the room.

"Marendel"

"You have a guest, she is from Coruscant"

"A Senator?"

"No, a Sith Lord"

Zexar looked at Telon and ran from the room, saber in hand, until he reached the academy entrance, where a brown robed, hooded figure stood. They pushed the hood back to reveal the scarred face of a Sith Zexar knew all too well.

"Darth Jonai", Zexar said bitterly.

"Darth Zexar", she started, "A Sith youth sent a distress call to the Trayus Academy on Malachor V, I have been sent to investigate"

"Go ahead, ask what you like"

"What happened here?"

"Grunto attacked me and Telon, so I killed him. Then the other Sith labeled me a traitor so I killed them as well, other than Marendel, my apprentice"

"So you have destroyed everything here. Darth Raxen will not be pleased"

"He will fall like the rest should they attack"

"You dare threaten the Dark Lord?"

"In case you have not realized I am a Dark Lord also, having killed Grunto"

"Raxen is a much more powerful Sith than you Zexar"

"How about I send him your remains as a invitation here"

"Just try it", Jonai started, "Jedi"

Zexar laughed at Jonai's feeble attempt to anger him, but picked up a metal foot locker and threw it at her nevertheless, knocking her to her feet.

"Hurry home to Raxen child", Zexar said mockingly.

Jonai used Force lightening on Zexar, but Zexar used his hands to block and tore the lightening before sending it back to her.

"Keep your gift bitch and get out", Zexar shouted as he used the Force to open the academy doors and then to throw her out.

Zexar pulled the black hood of his cloak up and left for the meditation chamber, hoping to attempt to empty his mind, something he had failed at countless times since his fall. The chamber was deserted so he was given a perfect chance to think about events and people.

_I can't help but love her; she's beautiful, charming, compassionate, honest, loyal, easy to talk to, fun to be around, and shes a childhood friend, most of which are dead now. I believe she feels the same but we are forbidden to love, and although I broke the Jedi Code when I was in a relationship with Lauren, this is different, I can't be out-casted from the Sith as I surely would have been by the Jedi. The battle with Grunto really made me appreciate how much I love her due to my anger when she was injured. I lashed out at Grunto and killed him in hate and anger, but those feelings were nothing when compared to what I felt when I heard her voice, saw her eyes, breathed her smell. I love her more than anything or anyone, and I would do anything to save her, anything at all. I would die for her. I would be tortured for her. I would lose my mind and very identity for her, if it meant she would live on and be happy. I would leave her to make way for others should she desire it. And as I watch her walk into the room my heart flutters, I can't express how much I love her. I just hope in time I can tell her._


	10. Escalation

"Zexar, today-"

"I'm sorry about the evil I unleashed on the Sith here"

"No, I was weak, I am sorry"

"Don't apologize, it was I who was wrong, the Sith could have been incapacitated and held prisoner's rather than being killed"  
Telon sat down on a meditation mat, crossing her legs and closed her eyes, before talking in a calmer manner.

"You know, I was well known for meditating, I taught many students in the methods after you left for Dantooine"

"I was known for rash movements, a strong will, being as stubborn as anything, and for going against direct orders"

"But you did what you thought right?"

"Yes, the council never saw this, they always saw it as a bad thing. When I killed Darth Fanu, I saved Masters Carly, Yux and Brunn, as well as Knight, Lauren. They held me back as I had disregarded their orders, barely praising the fact I, a padawan, had killed a Sith Lord that Carly, Yux, and Brunn had all failed at killing"

"It must have been hard"

"I realize some of it was my fault, but I can't be held responsible for everything. I am only here now due to Marsh abandoning me on that platform with Grunto"

"I'm sorry, Zex"

"Don't be, it's in the past"

At this, Telon deepened her meditation and cleared her mind of all but Zexar, as he did with her.

The blood from the Sith he had killed was clearing from his mind, the Force stains of their deaths wiping clean from his thoughts. The evil acts he had committed to Darth Grunto clung on to the edges of his memories as he kicked them out, refusing to allow evil acts pin his mind to the dark side, something he would never allow. The thought of Telon's motionless body hovered in front of his eyes, refusing to budge until he screamed in anger, ripping his saber from his belt and attacking a training dummy ferociously. He then wildly attacked the wall before driving his saber into it and breaking down in front of Telon's watching eyes. In his pain the dark side fed him images of his worst, most painful memories. He saw his friends on Tati, their bodies scattered over the floor due to his anger, and he saw Master Veronica wave him good bye as he left Coruscant for Dantooine. More recent memories hit him, the Jedi scum Marsh abandoning him, Telon's hand being chopped off by his former Master, Carly, and then Telon's motionless body once more. He couldn't deal with the image of her like that, and collapsed to the floor holding his head.

"Zex? Zex? Are you alright?", Telon asked him, clearly worried for his health.

Zexar rose back to his feet and grabbed his light-saber, before running from the chamber, headed to the training room, where he released five elite training droids. Anger took a hold of him as he viciously hacked the droids down, one-by-one; he had never felt like this in his life before now. He decapitated the last droid before hacking its torso as it fell to the metal floor, many different parts scattered the training room.

Telon silently entered the room, watching Zexar standing there, shaking violently for a reason unknown to her.

"Zexar?"

Zexar turned to face her, his eyes a shell of what they should be; they were cold, hard, empty. He had gone more pale than she had ever seen him, and as he stared back at her, she knew she loved him, even now.

"Are you alright? What's wrong?"

"I-I-I saw-", Zexar said, before burying his face in his hands and shaking much more violently.

"I sense I have a part in this. You saw me, yes?"

Zexar nodded slightly as she asked him, just what she had been expecting.

"Injured or dead?"

Zexar nodded once more, before taking a deep breath and speaking back.

"After Grunto, I thought you were dead. The memory made me angry so I lashed out, then painful experiences from my past flashed back"

"These memories, they are triggered by the dark side. They are there to increase your anger"

"I can't deal with them"

"The dark side is full of pain Zex"

"I know, I hate the pain it brings but I love the power given"

"Certainly is a difficult situation to be in", Telon finished, before adjusting her cloak and igniting her saber to battle a series of training droids.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

"This will never work", a brown cloaked figure stated.

"That is why it will work", another spoke.

"Jared, how many times do the council have to underestimate him?"

"Master Carly, he is not as unpredictable as everyone thinks he is"

"He tore a Jedi cruiser apart with the Force, can you get much more unpredictable than that?", Carly asked, getting a little annoyed.

"This rests more upon the fact that your former padawan bested you in a battle"

"He has become more powerful than any Sith ever has been before", Carly stated, now raising her voice slightly.

"Nevertheless, he can not hope to take on and kill the entire Jedi council"

"He will try"

"And he will fail", Jared began, "Do you remember when he was a youngling, and he engaged in a spar with four Jedi Knights against him?"

"Yes, he took on more than he could handle. Still, he put up a good fight and bested two of them"

"That is my point exactly, he put up a fight, he engaged in a battle he could never win, and that is what he will do in this situation"

"He is not just a Sith, Jared, he's a Sith Lord. Force, he killed Fanu as a Jedi padawan, and now Grunto"

"Your attachment to him is clouding your vision, you don't want harm to come to him, I know that, but the entire council will be able to disarm and capture him"

"And what then?"

"Redemption will be offered"

"And when he refuses to re-align with the light?"

"He will be held a republic prisoner"

"Why are we even here? Why this planet?"

"The Force will lead them here, his destiny"

"Still, this won't work"

"I don't expect it will work in the way I am hoping"

Carly rolled her eyes and left the room, her aim to find Master Brunn.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Telon, I'm fine, I just want to get to Tatooine"

"You don't look fine", Telon remarked, concerned.

"Admittedly I'm not great but theres no point in hanging around here"

"Zex, I'm worried about you"

"Look, Marendel and I are going to Tatooine with or without you"

"You know damn well I'm not letting you out of my sight", Telon smiled.

"On the ship then", Zexar replied, smiling as she showed a sign of affection towards him.

Telon pushed a lock of black hair from her face and boarded a fairly large Sith ship that remained in the hangar. It was very similar to their previous vessel, but was a little larger and a lot more comfortable: the seats and bunks had obviously been refurbished due to the apparent age of them. Something wasn't right here.

"Zex, you feel it?"

"Vaguely"

"It's a trap isn't it?"

"It always was. Getting intercepted by Jonai's ship was part of the trap due to our course being re-written"

"I thought as much. The Jedi will engage us won't they?"

"No, they won't. I don't understand that, unless-", Zexar broke off.

"Unless what?", Telon quizzed, confused.

"They know I won't back down and will engage them at some point, and they are using that as a weakness of mine"

"They know their enemy"

"Oi Marendel, how do you feel about engaging what's left of the Jedi council?", Zexar shouted back into the ship.

Marendel walked into the cockpit and replied, distress obviously marking his face.

"I await the challenge Master"

"This is more than a challenge. I sense your fear my apprentice"

"I do not fear the battle, I fear you my Master"

"Me?"

"I feel the power emitting from you like a pulse. In battle with you I lasted mere seconds, therefore I am fearful"

"Fear of your Master will get you no where", Zexar said, before pulling out his light saber and stabbing Marendel in the forehead.

"Zexar in the name of-", Telon started.

"He was useless"

"I know but still, there was me thinking you were compassionate after you saved him", Telon replied, laughing.

Telon sat in the pilots seat once again, despite Zexar's natural ability she felt better flying herself. She manually punched in the co-ordinates for Tatooine, and quickly made the jump to hyperspace, giving them five hours until they reached their destination at Anchorhead.

Zexar took the time to catch up on some well needed sleep, and drifted into a calm dream filled sleep whilst Telon meditated once again. Zexar was all she could think of, and though she knew they couldn't be together in case anything happened, she still hoped.

_I can't get him out of my head and it's killing me. We both know the enormity of the battle ahead of us, and we also both know the extremes we will go to. Zex will never back down: he will fight until death. However I am not so fearless as he and will surrender if I sense the battle is lost. I fear his death, it would totally destroy my mind, it would give my soul over to the dark side: any goodness within me would be annihilated by it. Tatooine is looming upon us and if I'm honest I am scared, scared for Zexar. I sense he's awake now, his sleeping routine is intriguing: he has a few hours at a time then gets up again. _

Telon opened her eyes and quit meditating, as she was getting absolutely nowhere. She rose to her feet and walked through the ship, and began looking for Zexar in the cockpit.

"Oh, hello", he said, walking from behind her.

"You look tired Zex"

"I've just slept, I'm fine, I promise you"

"Okay, I'm going to go and spar with a droid", Telon said, feeling terrible.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes"

Telon walked away, towards the training room where she immediately locked the door and broke down, unable to control her emotions anymore. _I can't help myself, I don't want to be with anyone else. I can't control my emotions any longer, I will have to tell him as soon as possible, but for now I can't. Before we leave Tatooine he will know how I feel and if he doesn't already know how much I love him then he will do._

Zexar sighed as he saw who the incoming transmission was from, but accepted nevertheless, knowing the Sith would question him.

"What is it Jonai?"

"Darth Raxen wishes to see you Zexar"

"That's Lord Zexar to you"

"I don't care for names, now, Raxen will await your arrival on Malachor V. Depart for us now"

"I can't do that. Tell your Master that he will have to wait until I am finished here"

"And here is?"

"That, my friend, is a secret"

"What of your apprentice Marendel?"

"Killed in training"

"Shame. Raxen informed me to let you know the Jedi council have all departed from Coruscant on a private mission, you should be wary of them"

"I realize the danger they present thank you very-", Zexar was cut across.

"That's enough Lord Zexar", Raxen said calmly, interrupting Zexar.

"Lord Raxen", Zexar stated, nodding in recognition.

"Word reached my ear of Grunto's demise"

"Your information is correct"

"Grunto was a beautiful fighter of the dark side, do not let the Sith standards slip", Raxen finished before cutting transmissions.

Telon entered the cockpit at that moment, totally oblivious to what was happening.

"What's happened?"

"Jonai informed me that we were to go to Malachor V, but Darth Raxen then told me not to let standards slip. At any rate we can continue our mission to Tatooine"

"Are you at all worried about what might happen"

"Not to me, no"

"And that means?"

"I don't want any harm to come to you", Zexar said compassionately.

"Likewise, I sense this is going to be a life changing mission, and I'm scared about what that means"

"I too am worried about the outcome, but we can only hope for the best"

"That's not good enough"

"Looks like it's going to have to be", Zexar said as they docked into Anchorhead, right next to a large Jedi ship.

They both left the ship and used the Force to open the large air sealed doors of the Jedi cruiser. Zexar leaped in, closely followed by Telon, and they sneaked through the ship until they reached the bridge, where what was left of Coruscant's Jedi council were standing. Jared Marx turned to face them, and spoke very slowly and calmly.

"Darth Telon, Lord Zexar, how nice of you to join us"


	11. Revenge Upon Tatooine

Zexar's eyes narrowed slightly as he saw the faces of the council, until his eyes hovered over the face of his old Jedi Master, Carly. She was alive. The council members looked the same as when he had last seen them, all except Carly. She still looked like before, but battle-worn, and had obviously not recovered from their last battle, of which she had been defeated. He hadn't counted on her living through it, but part of him felt happy to see her alive again, no matter what he had become he still saw her as a motherly figure. As he had grown up in Coruscant, the bond between him and Master Carly grew to the extent that that were more like mother and son than Master and apprentice. They had allowed this attachment to grow, despite the Jedi Code and the dangers in the form of the dark side of the Force. Nattang, Damo, and Vaandall looked like they hated his guts and wanted him dead whereas Marsh was smiling as if pleased he had caused this. Brunn, Yux, and Jared were all standing together, not allowing their emotions to show though he could feel a slight dislike towards him.

"Master Jared", Zexar said in recognition.

"As you can see our number dwindle, but you'd know all about that", he replied.

"And as I'm sure you're aware, Grunto and his Sith have been destroyed"

"A spot of good news in this Galaxy"

"Get to it Jedi"

"You are to be put under arrest of the Jedi council. We will detain you both with force or peace, your choice"

"Oh let me think", Zexar said as he used Force lightening on Jared, sending him back.

Zexar and Telon ignited their sabers and awaited the initial attack. Zexar nodded to Telon and then cut a hole in the ceiling before leaping through, closely followed by Marsh, Damo, and Nattang.

In the dark ventilation shaft all that could be seen was Marsh's yellow saber, Damo's purple saber, and Nattang's green saber against Zexar's red one. Zexar smiled as he knew he would enter combat with Marsh; a battle he was certain to win.

"You can't hope to destroy the three of us Sith scum", Marsh breathed.

"True, but I'll destroy two of you and watch the coward run from danger once again"

"I proved you're a liability"

"No, you proved you're a coward"

The Jedi attacked Zexar at once, causing a large flurry of different colors in the shaft, before Zexar sprinted away to a vent which he kicked through, into a lit corridor. Nattang came through first and attacked multiple times before Zexar countered and caused Nattang to make a mistake which ultimately lost him a leg. He was then thrown into the wall by Zexar's Force powers as Marsh and Damo came through the vent.

"Two-on-one, very sporting", Zexar teased.

He lunged in on the two Jedi Masters, his own skill outshining Damo easily. Damo put on a considerably weak defence considering the circumstances, and lost his right hand and left foot in one swift move before being thrown to the wall next to Nattang.  
"Not so confident now are you Marsh"

Telon was hopelessly outnumbered against Jared, Carly, Brunn, Yux, and Vaandall, but fought on nevertheless. She had managed to disarm Yux, but was struggling against the remaining four Jedi Masters, and found herself surrendering to them.

"Darth Telon", Jared started, "We can sense your dislike of the dark side"

"As do I"

"Your place in the order has never truly been filled", Carly stated.

"I've done too much to ever rejoin the Jedi"

"No, forgiveness can be given to _you_", Vaandall said, emphasizing then 'you'.

"But not Zexar?"

"_Both_ of you", Jared replied, taking over from the others.

"I can't abandon him"

"You are clinging to Zexar, not the dark side"

"I won't abandon him"

"He will follow you Telon, he loves you. You know it as does he"

"I love him too, that is why I-", Telon said, before being interrupted by Carly.

"If you keep the dark side your ally you will become a mere shadow of your once proud self "Veronica, and Aaron would never forgive himself if that happened"

"Veronica and Aaron are dead, even in redemption our former selves are gone"

"No, they are not", Carly began, "Your old self shines through in everything you do, every Jedi in this room knows it, as do you. Master Veronica can be reborn, if you have the strength to leave the dark side"

"I-I-I", Telon started, trying to get the words out, "I know you're right. I am sorry for the pain I have caused the Jedi order. I am still Telon, Veronica is dead"

"Telon, I can't express how pleased we are to have you back"

"I need to find Zexar", Telon said as she leaped through the hole he had made and resealed it so she wouldn't be followed. _I hope he can forgive me, I really do. What if we engage in a duel? I don't think I could cause him pain but would I be able to if my new found duties arose? One things for sure: Zexar is not going to like my decision, not at all._

Zexar and Marsh were circling each other, waiting for the other to put in the first attack. Marsh attacked Zexar continuously, causing Zexar to have to block and counter, a strong point of his since he was a young Jedi. He could sense that Telon was having great difficulty with her conscience until she slipped away from his thoughts, something that hadn't occurred until now. _The dark side powers the Force connection between them as far as I am aware so maybe, just maybe, the dark side isn't flowing through her. No. That can't be. She wouldn't leave me. No. _Marsh sensed Zexar's inner conflict and took advantage, setting a more fast pace attack than before, hoping to quickly overwhelm Zexar into making a mistake. Zexar snapped out of his train of thought and quickly blocked a strong attack and engaged in a saber lock.

"Zexar, you really have grown stronger since your days as a Jedi"

"More so than you can possibly imagine"

"You and I both know that is not true"

"Why then, traitor, am I still alive?"

Marsh pulled away and swung low before changing direction to slice through Zexar's left leg, but Zexar managed to leap high over him and roll to the left at Marsh's follow up back stab. Zexar used the Force to crumble away the ceiling above Marsh, and thrust it down upon him at tremendous speed. Marsh immediately Force pushed his way out of the rubble and received a high speed hit to the head from a metal fuel cylinder, which knocked him to the floor once more. _My anger levels are pushing my boundaries, and I'm beginning to feel like I did when Telon was unconscious. When I thought she was dead. I haven't felt pain like that before, and I never will again so long as I kill this traitor. Ironic that. I have killed countless Jedi and Sith, become a real traitor myself, just to kill the man who wronged me. A fatal mistake he made: allowing one who he betrayed survive._

Zexar and Marsh both attacked each other powerfully and locked sabers momentarily before Zexar used the Force to slam Marsh to the ground, and then threw him up to the ceiling. He then fell back to the floor straight into the aim of a head-bound kick from Zexar's heavy black boots.

"Fluke", Marsh stated as he got to his feet and attacked Zexar, a little too high, a fatal mistake to make in combat with a combatant like Zexar.

Zexar took the advantage and destroyed Marsh's light saber, before lifting him up with the Force.

_This is my moment, the moment everything I have achieved comes into play. His blood on my hand will be the one true comfort in the Universe, his death will mark my eternal victory over the traitorous scum who calls himself a Jedi Master._

"Now, Marsh, care to tell me _why_ you abandoned me"  
"You deserve as much, I felt threatened, you were becoming too powerful"

"Too powerful? Well your feelings compliment you, shame nothing else does"

Zexar held his saber underneath Marsh and released him, slicing him vertically through the middle and sprayed Marsh's blood all over him and the surrounding area. Damo watched helplessly, before begging to Zexar as he turned to face him and Nattang, blood dripping from his face and clothes.

"Zexar, spare me, please"

Zexar stepped slowly towards him and deactivated his light-saber, before using the Force to lift Damo up by his head and then slammed him head-first into a thick metal, snapping his neck with a blood-curdling crack. Nattang accepted his fate so Zexar used Force lightening on him until he was near death. Marsh was dead. Revenge is sweet.

_I've awaited this moment since the day he abandoned me, left me for Grunto. But now he's dead the anger has refused to subside, most likely due to the dark side than anything. I still can't feel Telon, and that is what I'm worried about as only two options are open for possibility. Either she has been killed by the council, but I know I would have felt a disturbance, or that she has been converted back to the order. Hopefully the latter. I have killed seven Jedi Masters now, and have converted one, so I would not be surprised if Jared, Carly, Brunn, Yux, Vaandall, and Nattang hunt me down for my crimes towards their order. If I face Telon I don't know what I will do; I can't kill her, that much I know for certain. Lord Raxen would welcome me to his academy on Malachor V, so I will have to visit his establishment before returning to my own, empty halls. That is if, of course, Telon has fallen. Soaking in my enemies blood was never what I had wanted my life to turn into, but now I have reached that point I realize why Sith enjoy what they do: the pain and death they cause feels good, too good. I could never explain why should the need arise, but I would be able to give many different examples of when I have reveled in the pain of others, basked in the very destruction I have caused. I can make sense of most aspects of the Jedi code now, other than the restriction of emotional attachment to another person. The Jedi were right to think that anger was a major downside: it is uncontrollable, much like a raging fire. Anger led them into a dangerous state of mind, a state that is not easily broken, and in times like these I wonder if I would ever want to break it. I fear that I can not forgive myself for the crimes I have committed, and this fear drives me forward, assists my anger in the ways of the dark side. _

_The blood shed in this room has been caused by me, as is so much before me. My academy on Korriban was drenched in the blood of the previous inhabitants, their innards spilled at one touch of my saber. Their pained expressions still haunt my mind, and that is a part of me which will never change: I have always been plagued by those I have killed. I was often a selfless Jedi, but this part of me has been destroyed completely now, the dark side has consumed it, as well as my merciful side. Telon has slowly but steadily brought back the goodness within me, but when I am away from her I find my self slipping from the edges of my internal divides, falling into the bottomless pit of the dark side. If she has abandoned me to the dark side alone I don't know how I will keep my sanity, stay a human in my strong willed, evil, twisted mind. _

_The black robes I'm wearing are worn down from the day I first stepped into them, but no manner of cleaning would banish the blood from the fabric, as is the problem with my cloak. The red coloration of my blade seems to have got darker since I've had it, but possibly the blood lust in my eyes has affected my vision when regarding colors. My eyes must be deceiving me now as I watch Telon run around the corner, as the dark side appears to be abolished within her. No. Anger is taking a hold of me but as I look into those calm blue eyes all I see is the enemy. I can't deal with this betrayal, betrayal of a friend, a near lover. I never got to tell her how I feel but as the anger within me verges on exploding point I can not help but wonder who I had managed to fall in love with, as this woman is not the woman I love. _

"Zexar, you're alive", _the traitor speaks._

_I can't answer her so all she receives is a red-eyed glare, one of which I haven't used on many people, only those who have wronged me. All of those people are now dead. _

"Zex?", _she looks worried now, purely for herself I believe._

_She knows I have completed my goal: Marsh is dead, so she must realize she is the reason for my insanity and the internal conflict within the deepest sections of my mind. She knows all too well what I will do, or try to do as the case may be, so she readies her saber every-so-slightly so no one who didn't know her would know what she's doing. In this case, however, her opponent knows what she is doing. _

_I won't be able to fight to kill, so I will carefully adjust my fighting style so I can effectively disarm or injure, rather than destroy, her life. This battle will change everything, I feel it in the deep cores of my mind and as I press the red button of my black, heavy, metal light saber hilt I know I can't go back. The red blade emits red light onto my face, covering the rest in shadow, much like my mental condition. We're only standing seven meters apart, and although she ignites her red saber, we both know we don't want to kill each other: this is what it feels like to fight your life. Telon was my life, no, is my life, no matter what or who she has become, I will always love her. The past few months have shown me that, even after all those years apart I still want her to be mine, no matter what, just like I wanted when I was young. The dark side of the Force is sending me danger signs, but I will always ignore them, just as I did as a Jedi, but nevertheless I find it a little strange : this has never happened before. Dark side versus light side. Good versus bad. And no matter what the result, the battle is lost: my love versus her love. She raises her saber into a defensive position as I crouch low into an attacking position, and as I stare into her eyes as she does to mine, we both know what we want: each other. _


	12. Love Realized

"Telon, look in my eyes"

"Zex, I'm sorry, I can't be a Sith any longer"

"You're killing me, all I wanted was you"

"I'm not running from you"

"No, you're running from everything you stand for", Zexar shouted.

"This is who I really am inside"

"The Jedi have changed you"

Zexar raised his saber into his usual attacking position, but hesitated slightly.

"Zexar, what are you waiting for?"

"You to acknowledge the mistake you're making"

"I'd rather die than be a Sith", Telon spat.

"Then die you shall", Zexar said, immediately regretting his words as he saw the impact in Telon's eyes.

Zexar immediately attacked with a series of fast moving attacks to attempt to break through Telon's strong defence early in the battle, but as he had predicted she wouldn't back down. She was the strongest Jedi, or Sith for that matter, that he had ever fought, and he knew that the battle would be difficult. He loved her more than anything and each attack, each block was a dent in his emotions, until the shell of his thoughts resembled more of a crumpled star fighter. His red eyes were slowly going greener once again, and looking into his eyes Telon knew why: he couldn't keep this up whilst lying to himself. He _would_ become a Jedi once again.

Zexar pushed her away slightly with the Force, turned, and ran from her, and as it became apparent where he was going, Telon shuddered. He ran with Telon in pursuit through the complex ship, the Force guiding him. He passed countless bunk stations, medic centers, armories, tactical stations, and straight through the meditation chamber until he reached his target: the training room. Telon knew the significance of this; he was trying to say she was nothing more than a training target, much like the droids he had taken on on Darth Jonai's cruiser and his own academy.

"I'm just a training device for you?", Telon asked coldly.

"Nothing more, nothing less"

Zexar was unable to suppress the words, although he never meant them. In fact she meant more to him than his own life, more than the entire Universe, it revolved around her in his mind. He knew he would be unable to kill Telon, and this fact disturbed him, as he was the only Sith here he could never win: somehow he had to turn her once again. He attacked with force as did Telon, and they locked sabers for a while before speaking.

"Telon, the dark side beckons you"

"Don't even try it Darth Zexar"

"You know I'll succeed"

"I'm saving you time"

"Don't turn from what you believe in"

"Like you did on Bespin?"

Zexar growled in anger and pulled away from the lock and attack viciously, aiming to kill before he maintained self-control over himself once again.

"Bespin was different", Zexar said as he blocked many attacks.

Telon was putting on a valiantly balanced offense and defence, apparently helping to keep Zexar's also balanced attack at bay.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot, you lost a duel", Telon replied harshly.

Zexar kept up his defence whilst countering with little effect.

"Not a favorite of mine"  
"Too bad"

Telon immediately leaped high into the air and cut a hole in the ceiling before using the Force to throw the circular piece of heavy metal down upon Zexar, who lazily chopped it to pieces with his saber. Telon jumped in through the hole and navigated until she cut through the ships outer shell. Zexar turned the corner in time to see Telon leap from the ship down to Tatooine's hot, yellow sand. A trap.

"Darth Zexar, surrender", Jared Marx said slowly and calmly.

Zexar raised his saber and was immediately met by the hum of six enemy light sabers: Telon's, Carly's, Jared's, Brunn's, Yux's, and Vaandall's.

"Zexar, do yourself a favor and give up", Yux stated.

Zexar's eyes went a deeper shade of red as he looked at Telon, and he barely kept his anger within, so he turned and leaped back into the cruiser. Telon signaled to the council members that she was to fight him alone, and followed him back through the Jedi ship, until she reached the meditation chamber. As she ran through the door it shut and locked behind her, as did the other door in the opposite wall, and the lights were cut, sending her into complete darkness.

"Betrayal", Zexar's cold voice stated from an unknown location within the room, "Is a hate of mine"

Telon shuddered as she realized how cold he was with her, after all, betrayal was something he never took lightly.

"I never dreamed you would be next", Zexar continued

"Next?"

"To betray me. Why have you done it?"

"I hate the Sith Zexar"

"So you hate me?"

"As a Sith, yes. As a human, no"

Zexar realized now how much he must have hurt Lauren and Carly when he had used those words, and he had to control himself to not kill her where she stood.

"Expected as much", Zexar lied.

Telon's red saber was all that could be seen in the room until Zexar ignited his as well, marking his location perfectly for Telon.

They charged at each other and attacked ferociously, both still aiming to disarm rather than kill. Zexar had to admit to himself that he was shocked he was finding this duel so difficult, and though he wasn't fighting to kill, he found himself wondering how this battle would end should they both be trying to kill each other. Telon's eyes were steadily growing a darker blue as Zexar's began to get greener and greener as he realized what he was doing was wrong.

"Zexar, I can see in your eyes you know you're doing wrong"

"Likewise Ro-", Zexar began before realizing what he was saying, "Telon"

"That just proves it", Telon said as she deactivated her saber and put it loosely on her belt, "Kill me"

Zexar raised his saber and hesitated, before deactivating it like Telon, and hooked it on his belt.

"Thought as much. On behalf of the Republic I place you, Zexar, under arrest"

Zexar shook his head and pulled his saber from his belt, ignited it and swung for Telon. Telon ducked under and ignited her own saber, before engaging him once again. She used the Force to lift Zexar up and throw him through the locked door into the next corridor.

"Don't follow me Telon", Zexar shouted as he ran down the corridor.

Telon ran after him, but was immediately trapped in the corridor as Zexar used the Force to lock her in once more.

_Why has she done it? The council are to be destroyed, the six of them can die, painfully. The Sith are the true rulers of the galaxy and once the Jedi are dead we will never be rivaled again. I, Dark Lord Zexar, shall eradicate the spineless scar of the galaxy, and become the emperor of it, justice and peace at last. The Sith can die also, I shall destroy them once I have finished with the council, that way I shall never be rivaled or challenged by my allegiances. Telon will be allowed to live on: the single exception in the galaxy, and she _will _join me, if its the last thing I achieve she will become a Sith Lord once more. Although she follows me with intent of arrest, I know she has another motive, one I carry also, and it will come out by the next planetary orbit._

"Zexar", _I like the tone of that._

Zexar turned from where he was standing to face Telon, her face full of conflict.

"Zexar, please, join the order", Telon begged.

"I can't"

"You _can_, you always could. And now Marsh is dead"

"They're all the same"  
"So I'm no different than him?"  
"You've betrayed me in a way worse than he ever did"

Telon looked as if she was going too burst into tears but nevertheless verbally fought back.

"How have I? I am doing the right thing for once"

"Because I-", Zexar was interrupted by a small explosion.

"You what?"

"I love you", Zexar shouted.

"As do I, which is why I need you to join me, if you can't do it for yourself do it for me"

Zexar walked towards Telon and placed his right hand on Telon's left cheek and kissed her, as Telon did to him. Another explosion a mere few meters away from them broke their concentration, and the surviving members of the Jedi council saw their intimate moment. Zexar looked affectionately at Telon and ran, blowing a hole through the wall before heading to his own Sith ship.

"No", Telon shouted after him before turning to the council, "You idiots, I had him right where I needed him"

Zexar ran straight through the Sith ships hatch, and initiated the engine sequence before taking off, Malachor V his destination. _I can't believe this, I've got her yet lost her. My dream lived short. Lord Raxen will allow me to use his academy as a home for a few days, so I can plan my plan to turn Telon once again. I know I shouldn't, she is much safer from herself as a Jedi, but I can't help but indulge in my selfish side, allow it to overrule the smart option for once. Tatooine was a mistake, we should never have gone there, although it allowed my plan to finish Marsh come into effect, but at too much of a cost: Telon. I don't know why I spared Nattang, I suppose it was because he didn't beg to live, he accepted his fate much like I have done many times before; I respect that. I still can't believe Telon has rejoined the Jedi order, become a pawn of their 'light side' again. Surely she has seen how the Jedi code has a bad affect on the Jedi themselves, removing their emotional ties, leaving them a shell of their former selves. Indulging in the dark side was the best choice I have ever made, but I have never used it to overrule my body, my emotions, never will I allow it to take over me completely. That is the mistake the Jedi make: they allow the light side to flow through them, allow it to judge their own thoughts and emotions, shunting them into a pawn of the light side, a servant to its bidding. The Jedi believe this is what happens to the Sith, and they are right, but a true Sith Lord does not allow their actions to be ruled by the dark side: they allow it to assist them, to power them. _

_I expect some Sith will mock me for what happened, Darth Jonai on top of the list, but they will never speak again should they mention Telon's fall. I love her too much to allow any bad mouthing runts to survive, but I know no one would dare, considering what I did on Korriban to reach the title Lord Zexar. Lord Raxen and I are officially equals, so I will easily outrank anyone on Malachor V should they stand up to me, and I know Raxen will not have sympathy with them._

_I sense that the council are preparing their next trap to arrest me, and I can feel the rushed decisions they are trying to make about the council positions, but they will never be refilled by the time my own plan comes into effect. They will never know what hit them._

"Master Jared, we can't just-", Telon started.

"No, we have to, there is no other-", Jared interrupted.

"Yes there is, how can you possibly-", Telon said, cutting Jared off.

"Telon, I know your emotional and physical attachment to him but it's the only way", Carly said, putting a stop to Jared and Telon's conflict.

"Master Carly, you of all people must see it will _never _work, he's too ambitious to surrender"

"I know, but if he refuses to surrender in those circumstances then how else can we do it?"

"I can alone, I have already told you"

"And turn once again?", Vaandall said, apparently having a dislike of Telon.

"How dare you, if I was going to turn I would have done back on Tatooine. Believe me, there were so many chances"

"You have already disregarded the code more than most of us and you've only been a Jedi for a few days", Vaandall replied.

"Vaandall, you shall be removed from the remainder of this meeting should you continue", Jared said, his authority shining through, "Telon, you are out voted here, there is no other way"

Telon shook her head and stood up, headed towards the door.

"Master Telon, this meeting has yet to finish"

"My input has apparently no effect to my presence is pointless", Telon said as she fling open the doors and strolled off.

_They can't just set the entire fleet on him, he will never surrender and I shall lose him for good. I need to influence him, get his head on straight. I he is going to Malachor V as I feel, then the entire Sith academy will engage us, and frankly there are not enough Jedi to combat them successfully and survive. Force help us._


	13. Deceiving Matters On Coruscant

"Lord Zexar, I welcome you to my academy here on Malachor V"

"Thank you Lord Raxen"

"Is there anything you need?"

"Actually, yes, there is. The Jedi have set their target to turn me, and I need somewhere to stay and plan my attack on them"

"You plan to take on the entire Jedi order?"

"Once the council is destroyed they will become disorganized, much easier to pick off"

"Indeed, we shall accommodate you for as long as you need"

"You have my thanks Raxen"

"Zexar, I am sorry to hear of your loss, Darth Telon was a great Sith"

"You talk as if she is dead, but I appreciate your concern"

"She is dead to the Sith"

"I understand", Zexar said, nodding at Raxen's words.

Raxen turned and walked back into his academy, his long black cloak flying behind as did Aaron's as he walked to his bunk. He hadn't slept in the two days since Telon had fallen from him, and he knew it was ridiculous, after all, she would be with him once again very shortly, but the time apart was killing him. The thing that hurt him the most was the fact that she was plotting against him; intent on turning him from the dark side. He didn't know exactly how the Jedi were planning to cause him to surrender, but Telon would know he _never _would surrender: it was just the way he was built. Brute strength and fearlessness were his greatest allies besides the Force.

A slight ripple in the Force alerted him to a young woman's presence, but he ignored her, after all, if she wanted to speak to him she had the opportunity. She hesitated for a few minutes but spoke nevertheless.

"Lord Zexar?"

Zexar turned to face her and looked her from head to toe, but refused to speak until given a direct question.

"It's an honor to finally meet you", she started, "I'm Darth Velo, I've been researching your actions since becoming a Sith"

"Good to meet you too", Zexar replied.

"Thank you, would it be okay to ask a few questions? I'm a Sith archivist"

"The Sith have archives?"

"Yes of course"

"I was unaware, but go ahead"

"How did you take down that Jedi cruiser?"

"In all honesty, I don't know, I just reached out with the Force and imagined crushing it, ripping it apart, and it worked"

"Wow, why did you turn on Grunto and his entire academy?"

"I never did, he was planning to kill Telon so I would become more powerful, and I wasn't about to let that happen. We defended ourselves against everyone there. Henceforth I became Lord Zexar"

A small device on Velo's jacket started to beep, so she immediately shut it up and looked back to Zexar.

"Sorry Lord, but I have to get back. Finish off later?"

"If I'm still here then sure"

"Great"

Velo got up and left, walking quick down the dark brown walled hall to escape to the archives.

"If it isn't the Jedi lover", Darth Jonai said as she strolled around the corner.

Anger twirled in the emotion-full pit of Zexar's stomach, and he lashed out with the Force, sending Jonai through the stone wall with such a force that she was knocked unconscious and the entire wall crumbled.

"Lord Zexar", Raxen shouted, as he ran from his quarters to check what the disturbance was about.

Zexar turned from Raxen, but before he reached the academy doors Raxen had caught him and swirled him around by his shoulder.

"Zexar, what did she say"

"Irrelevant, I need to get away from here, people aren't good for me"

"A place is always welcome for you here my friend"

"You have my thanks, just keep Jonai off me or I swear I will kill her, painfully"

"Consider it done, my the Force be with you"

Zexar nodded twice as he turned from Raxen and left, before boarding his ship and taking off, leaving Malachor V's Trayus academy behind.

_I hate people. I hate Jedi. I hate Sith. I am so full of hate, and yet I do not wish to feel it towards any creature: in this respect I am very much a Jedi at heart. Darth Jonai is infuriatingly heartless, but she will feel my fury soon: she best make the most of her now-pitifully short life. I can't help but think of Telon, and no matter how I try and portray her in my mind, I know I will never fail to love her. I can't shake the feeling that rises from the pit of my stomach when the very thought of her is brought to my attention, and it kills me that I can't have her. My plan will be made increasingly difficult should she engage me, but I know that I can defeat the Jedi council once and for all, with or without Telon. _

_My saber is going to have a few changes made: I will carefully adjust the crystal for a darker color, as well as a change of hilt, a more refreshed look to me. My eyes will reflect the darkness of my saber, the last thing the Jedi scum will see will be the hatred swirling within my very soul, piercing their bodies. Black and red. These two colors will be the foundation of my new empire, the colors of hatred and blood mixed together for the perfect combination: death and fear throughout the galaxy. Fear of me. The dark side has created a strange lust for power within, a power I can never quite satisfy, no matter what I do, no matter how powerful I become I can never quench my thirst. _

A small circular device started to bleep on the main controls, but Zexar recognized what it was: a transmitter. Without checking the source of the transmission, he accepted it and saw a familiar figure appear in the cockpit, just transparent blue.

"Lord Zexar", Darth Velo acknowledged, bowing.

"Velo", Zexar nodded.

"I heard of your departure, but I need to let you know something I found"

"Go on"

"You are familiar with the times of the Clone Wars, yes?"

"Indeed"

"And I presume you have heard of the young Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker?"

"Yes, he was the Chosen One. He fell to the dark side as Darth Vader, and ultimately fulfilled his destiny"

"Yes, you are the last living member of the Skywalker family, after 20,000 years you have followed in your ancestors footprints, ironic"

"Ironic?"

"You were both the most powerful of your time and yet you fell"

"I see. I am almost at my destination, I need to go"

"Okay, but Zexar?"

"Yes"

"Just remember this: there's no destiny when everyones your enemy"

"As the days grow dark you will remain my ally Velo"

At this, Zexar cut the transmission leaving Velo wondering what he was meaning by 'as the days grow dark'. Zexar was steadily becoming uneasy by his own plan, but he knew there was few other ways to attract the Jedi to his location: he just wished it was much less risky.

As he came out of hyperspace in his small Sith vessel, the familiar colors of Coruscant's busy surface came into view. He wasn't sure how he was going to actually reach the surface due to the planets defenses, but he knew that Telon and the other council members would allow his docking so they would be able to engage him full on. His suspicions were proved false by a transmission request . He quickly pulled up his cloak's hood to obscure his face, and then accepted the transmission to see a familiar Jedi Knight, Frank, appear in his cockpit.

"Razz, well done in capturing the Sith vessel", Frank said, apparently confusing Zexar for his apprentice. Zexar put on the best imitation he could for Razz and replied.

"Thank you Master, I shall place it in the temple dock"

"Have you forgotten the arrangement already? Razz your memory is terrible", apparently Zexar's imitation had worked.

"I am sorry Master, it has slipped my mind"

"Place it in the cantina, Master Telon's orders remember"

"Will do Master"

Zexar was unnerved by the news that Telon had ordered Frank's apprentice to acquire a Sith ship: either she wished to infiltrate the Trayus academy, or she was giving the council a false lead.

_----------------------------------------------------------_

"Master Jared, Lord Zexar has arrived at the cantina", Frank reported.

"This is good news", Jared replied.

Telon, who was sitting two seats from Jared, bit her lip so she didn't get ejected from the council meeting, but was not happy about the trap set. Vaandall saw her reaction to this news, and set upon her.

"Master Telon, you're clearly agitated -"

"Why don't you go take on Zexar alone if you hate us both so much, I'm sure you'll last a whole minute"

"Telon, watch yourself, before the dark side comes calling once more", he teased once more.

"Vaandall, you're excluded from this meeting, await me outside where we shall discuss your place on this council", Jared stated calmly.

Vaandall bowed his head to Jared and stood up, before walking slowly to the door and leaving, the corridor his destination.

"Now, Telon, what's bothering you?"

"This is against what I believe in, it's deceiving, it's just wrong"

"With all due respect Telon", Brunn started, "Lord Zexar has done so many deceiving, wrong, and just evil things in his reign as a Dark Lord"  
"So we fight fire with fire?"

"It is necessary", Brunn finished.

"I know not all of you believe this is right, which is why this council is not effective enough"

Telon sat further back into her seat and every member knew she was done for now, so they continued with the original meeting topic.

"Brunn, Telon, you shall take the command cruiser and control the fleet whilst we engage him at the temple, ultimately his destination"

"Yes, we shall bring the fleet just before you get there"

"This meeting is concluded, may the Force be with you all"

The six other members of the council, Brunn, Yux, Nattang, Carly, Telon, and Jared stood and left, but Carly and Telon hung behind, Telon was hoping their plan was still intact.

"Do we go ahead?", Telon asked.

"Yes, I shall do my best to prevent an attack on him until you can get him"

"I shall be piloting a black and red star fighter, once I have him I'll try and turn him"

"May the Force be with you my friend", Carly said, putting her hand on Telon's shoulder, "I can't imagine how hard this is for you"

"It is made easier to know there are still influential members of the council that believe in him"

"I can't abandon him, he was my apprentice for years and I can't let him down now"

"I thank you Carly, may the Force be with you too", Telon said as she left the chambers, leaving Carly to wonder whether or not it was right to deceive the council.


	14. Ambush

_This is too easy, where are the normal amount of Jedi? The doors of the temple are usually heavily guarded but now they're empty, it's as if the place is deserted. No. It's a trap. The tall statues of the four Masters who built this place are staring down upon me, a great Sith Lord, as if they're looks can kill and though I know they can't I still feel uneasy. My very presence here desecrates the order, and this is what I like the most. A fallen Jedi returned: a rare occurrence should the person still be aligned with the dark side, and even rarer for a Sith Lord to be here. So rare in fact that the last time a Sith was here was when Darth Sidious and my ancestor Darth Vader overthrew the republic and the Jedi order. Surely the Jedi can come up with something better than this, but nevertheless a trap is there to be set, so set it I shall. Then we shall see who is stronger: the Sith, or the Jedi. Telon will regret leaving the Sith once I am finished with the order, and I know she will join me once again._

A republic fleet suddenly came into view from a cleverly disguised location and headed in his direction, before stopping just I front of him, hundreds of feet into the air.

"Interesting", Zexar muttered to himself.

Near-silent footsteps rained upon the ground around him, and as he spun he found himself standing in front of about forty Jedi Knight's and Masters. Zexar smiled crookedly, as if he was going to enjoy the inevitable battle: but he knew he could never win.

"Lord Zexar", Jared acknowledged.

Zexar stared back into his eyes, the red eyed glare filled with a twisted delight that made Jared feel

anxious.

"As you can see your surrounded, surrender peacefully or we _will _use force", Jared said seriously.

"Surrender never has been my way", Zexar replied, slowly with meaning.

"You want to die Sith?", a young Jedi called from behind a female Jedi Knight, apparently her apprentice. Zexar used the Force to lift him into the air, and slammed him down head first into the ground, snapping his neck and shattering his skull in one.

A flurry of noise spread through the Jedi as they witnessed what he had done to one of them without a flinch at the sickening crack.

"You're a sick piece of work", another brave Jedi shouted.

This time Zexar smiled, and brought the Jedi in front of him with the Force. The Jedi immediately ignited his saber and swung for Zexar as soon as he was released, with no effects whatsoever. Zexar elegantly ducked and leaped over and around the saber, before grabbing it from the Jedi's hand and holding it against his neck.

The blue glow of the saber suddenly brought back memories from his Jedi life, and for one moment he felt happy once again, pure happiness. He saw his Master, Carly, smiling at him from the sidelines as he won his first duel against a fellow pupil at the age of seven. This was followed by similar memories, Carly's face as he beat a Jedi Knight at eleven, and when he beat a Jedi Master at fifteen. He then saw Lauren for the first time once more, her elegant and beautiful features glowing through his mind. Her hair was a brilliantly shiny brown, blowing gently past her precious sapphire eyes in the Coruscanti breeze. Her smile glittered a perfect row of pearl teeth, and her long, gracious legs hovered her through the crowd to where he was standing. This memory disintegrated into the moment he had been working to since he was a youngling, Knighthood, and it was glorious receiving his honor's from the entire council. He gazed into the eyes of the dead Darth Fanu, his first great victory, and knew in that moment this was the catalyst to his fall. He was once again transported, this time to his home planet of Tati, where he mercilessly slaughtered his peoples capturers, and continued to murder his own people. Staring down at the bodies from his first act of evil, he knew this was the beginning of his story, the beginning of his ultimate power. The power he had felt from killing took over him once again, until he snapped from the vision he had been given, and returned to Coruscant.

"It is I who is a sick piece of work?", Zexar mocked to the young Jedi.

"You know nothing of mercy"

"A persons knowledge and a persons choices are two different things. I know of mercy but I choose not to use it. I know of peace but I choose war. I know of light but I choose darkness"

"In the end it doesn't even matter"

"What is your name young one?"

"Quea"

"Quea, never question a Sith Lord, it may well be the last thing you ever do"

"That may well be but fate his finally found _you_"

At this Zexar used the Force to send Quea flying into the sky lanes, killing him instantly as he hit a a speeder which subsequently exploded.

This time Carly spoke, stepping forward through the different ranks of Jedi until she reached the front.

"Lord Zexar, there is no hope in escaping this planet alive, surrender and preserve your life"

"Preservation of my life into the hands of my enemy is no way I want to live"

"Then _join _your enemy"

"And join the people I hate?"

"So you hate Telon do you?"

Zexar paused for a few seconds and hung his head, defeated, he knew he would never hate Telon, and that was a major flaw.

"No, I love her", Zexar finally replied.

"Z-Aaron, you know she loves you too"

"Don't call me that", Zexar snapped, his eyes going a deeper shade of red.

"It is your name, not Zexar"

"No, it _was _my name, not now"

"My apprentice is not dead, he is still there within you"

"No, he died on Bespin"

"And Zexar will die on Coruscant, Aaron will be reborn"

"Never"

"I can sense your emotions, my apprentice, and I know as do you that you aren't a Sith at heart, join me, Aaron, and save a pointless battle"

"I'd rather not", Zexar said, mocking Carly's attempt on changing him.

------------------------------------------------

"You know, Telon, I do feel for you", Brunn stated randomly as they stared from the bridge window.

"Why?"

"The plan against Zexar. We all know he won't surrender, we're just so desperate to capture him"

"Capture isn't in Zexar's vocabulary"

"Carly told me"

"She told you what?"

"Your plan"

"I have no idea what your talking about", Telon said as she turned to face Coruscant once more.

"Telon, firstly your an awful lier, and secondly I wish to help you"

"Thank you, but how do you suggest assisting me?"

"I can set off internal explosions and allow you to leave the ship easily, whilst distracting the Jedi down there in one move"

"Okay, but why help me?"

"Not just for you, for the entire order. If Zexar is killed theres a risk of you falling once more"

"I appreciate your honesty my friend"

"We never gave up on you, you know"

"I know, the darkness clouded my vision for so long, I was too blind to see through the attempts in capturing me"

"You always were, and will continue to be a valuable ally and friend"

"You are a valuable friend also"

"As for Zexar, he may never turn from the darkness as you did. You will have to let him go, you must have the strength to finish him"

"I will pull him from the clutching hands of the dark side should it come to it"

"Telon, listen to me, if he chooses the dark side there is nothing that can be done. Promise me you won't join him if that is what he chooses to follow"

"I promise you", Telon said half-heartedly, if she was honest with herself she knew it wasn't entirely honest. A transmission came in from the Jedi below, and Telon pressed the button which accepted the request.

"Telon, good, set your plan into motion now, I'll hold the Jedi up"

"Thank you Carly"

Telon canceled the transmission, gave one last smiling nod to Brunn and ran from the bridge. Brunn immediately adjusted the controls, which caused a large explosion in three of the six engines, destroying them beyond repair.

----------------------------------------------

The Jedi below all stared up at the command cruiser, shocked at what was happening. Another explosion in the hanger shields caused billowing clouds of smoke and debris to fly from the hanger, which masked a black and red Jedi star fighter from sight. Out of plan, Zexar noticed the disturbance and channeled the Force through his entire mind and drew the Force from every distracted Jedi mind in front of him until he unleashed it upon the fleet above him. The partially damaged command ship suddenly crumpled viciously and plummeted down to Coruscant's ground level, straight into the Jedi Temple. Zexar then ripped apart another cruiser and tore it from the skyline much like the previous ship, and directed it towards the Jedi in front of him, causing them to flee for their lives. Unbeknown to Lord Zexar, a small Jedi fighter was bearing down upon him, shocking him as it suddenly came into view and used a small tractor beam to pull him in towards the fighter. Zexar's Force abilities were suddenly abolished as the beam shunted them from his body, so he was unable to unleash his anger on the fighter above him.

Telon flew the fighter into a hanger in a small republic base, and initiated the hanger shields, locking them both in the prison-like building. Telon ignited her blue saber and released Zexar, who had no weapon with him.

"Telon?", Zexar asked, puzzled.

"Who else?", She replied, smiling at him lovingly.


	15. Redemption

Zexar stared at Telon for at least a minute before speaking, his eyes changing slowly from red to yellow and back to green for the first time since she had turned. Her amazing blue eyes shone through the darkness, and her long black, elegant hair glimmered in what little light was in the hanger. The blue saber in her hand looked out of place, wrong, but he knew that however he felt was irrelevant; this was the right thing for her to be.

"Thank you for not abandoning me Telon", Zexar said, not taking his eyes off her.

"I never will"

"Darkness is calling your name"

"Don't make this difficult Zex, you have no choice other than joining the light"

"I can't Telon"

"You know you can't stay a Sith forever"

"Who says I want to?"

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"With you at my side we can destroy both sides of the Force, peace at last"

"And peace will last will it?"

"Under my rule"

"Domination. Power. Zex, you had everything you could possibly desire as a Jedi but you destroyed it in a lust for revenge", Telon stated, desperately trying to force him from darkness.

"I never had _you_"

"You have me now"

"No, I don't. You're fighting with my enemy"  
"So I'm your enemy?"

"Never, I love you Telon, more than anything"

"So I'm supposed to destroy my life for you?"

"Not destroy, enrich"

"You're delusional"

"No, it is the order who are delusional", Zexar replied, anger returning in his eyes.

"An order you shall become a part of"

"I shall never join my enemy"

"You've done it before"

"In different circumstances"

"You fell in hate, why not redeem yourself in love?"

"I can't Telon, I can't"

"Can't? Or won't?"

Telon clipped her saber back onto her belt, aware that Zexar wouldn't attack her, and turned away from him.

"Both", Zexar finally replied, barely audible.

"The Jedi _will _welcome you back, this entire operation was engineered to redeem you"

"Including this?"

"No, your old Master, Carly, has never lost faith in you, she and Master Brunn have assisted me considerably.

"Brunn eh? I expected Carly to be in on it but never Brunn"

"I have risked everything for you Zex, please don't make my sacrifice in vain"

"I don't have the strength to leave the dark side Telon"  
"The dark side is a mere veil of power and hatred, you _can_ break free from it's clutching hands"

"You're right", Zexar finished, defeated.

Telon immediately felt a cleansing of his body and soul, as if the dark side was being washed from him like dirt. She smiled gently at him, sure now that he was redeemed, a Jedi once more, but at what cost to her? Right now she didn't care, she didn't care whilst her lips moved passionately with Zexar's, and she certainly didn't care when she held him tightly against her chest.

----------------------------------------------------------

"Master Jared, we have found his body", a young Jedi Knight named Crella said quietly.

"That is a shame indeed, he was a mighty warrior"

"Master Brunn will not have wanted us to mourn"

"You are a stunning example of a Jedi Crella"

Crella bowed her head to Jared and left him with the remaining four Masters, all but Carly wondering what Telon had done.

"Master Carly, you were the most friendly with Telon out of us all, do you have any idea where she has taken Zexar?", Yux asked her.

"I do, the small prison-like hangar to the East"

"We shall leave at once, but how do you know this?", Jared stated.

"The time is not right, what is important is that Telon will _not_ fail in her task"

"Her task?"

"She will turn Zexar away from the dark"

"She is extremely foolish", Vaandall remarked.

"Carly, we shall discuss you and Telon's discipline on our return", Jared said to her, ignoring Vaandall's comment.

"As you wish Jared"

Jared, Yux, Carly, Nattang, and Vaandall all left the scene, leaping onto their speeders and headed straight for the hangar Telon and Zexar were located.

------------------------------------------------------------

As they broke apart Telon couldn't have felt any happier, nothing in the universe compared to what she was feeling.

"Telon, I'm sorry for all the pain I have caused you"

Telon didn't reply, but instead just smiled at him and kissed him again, but he pulled apart early and pulled out a saber. Had he had it all along?

"Zex?"

"You didn't think I would come to Coruscant unarmed did you?"

"Well no but I never thought-"

"Never thought I'd kept it?"

Telon nodded as he ignited the light saber he had possessed as a Jedi, the blue light shimmering around the room; the presence of light. She stared into the blue blade, captivated by the color she never thought he would use again.

"Be prepared Zex", Telon said as they both felt a presence moving towards them quickly.

A blaster shot blew a huge hole in the wall, and five speeders flew into the hangar, each carrying a Jedi Master Zexar and Telon both knew. They stopped a few meters from them both and leaped off, igniting blue, green, and yellow sabers in unison.

"What-", Vaandall started, shocked, before being cut across by Zexar.

"Yes Vaandall, I am no longer a Sith Lord"

"This can't be true", Vaandall replied.

"We can all feel it to be true", Nattang stated.

"Telon, on behalf of the Jedi order I thank you for bringing Zexar back to the light", Jared said slowly with effect.

Telon bowed to him, but the mood was abruptly changed by Yux, who pointed out what had to be done.

"Master Jared, Carly and Telon did this without order of the council, they need to be punished for their deeds, as does Zexar for his evil acts across the galaxy"

"The order are forgiving Yux. Carly and Telon may have gone against us but they yielded results. However Zexar, you will be reverted back to a Jedi padawan, as will you Telon", Jared finalized.

"I understand Jared", Zexar and Telon both replied.

**Three Days Later**

"Zexar, an investigation has been undertaken into the events you described on Bespin, and a droid scout we had previously captured has finally been cracked. Master Marsh committed an act of betrayal upon you, leaving you to die. Because of said act, the council and entire order apologize to you. Marsh has been recognized as a traitor, but your acts have not been excused"

"Thank you Jared, I truly am sorry for the destruction I have caused to the Jedi order"

"We believe you. And now for the second reason you were summoned here: your Master has been selected after a quick debate"

"Who?"  
"They will be waiting for you in the training facility"

"Masters", Zexar finished as he bowed and left the council chamber.

After Zexar had left, the council began debating once more. The new members: Crella, Frank, Wrazz, Kruk, Ri, Borla, Xano, and Lucii were respectful of the surviving members of Zexar's attack: Yux, Carly, Nattang, Vaandall, and Jared.

"Is this a smart move?", Wrazz asked.

"I believe it is", Frank replied.

"Zexar isn't a threat to us anymore, besides, we all voted for it", Crella stated.

"Crella is right, there is no point in changing our plan", Jared finished, before finishing the meeting and leaving for his quarters.

Zexar decided on a detour on his way to the training facility, and stopped at Telon's quarters to find her adjusting her saber hilt. He watched her delicately removing pieces and inserting new ones to update it to a fresher look. She turned to the door and saw him standing there smiling at her.

"Shouldn't you be at the training facility?", Telon asked.

"Shouldn't you?"

"Not for another few minutes"

"It feels weird, being back"  
"I know, I couldn't imagine ever being back here until you gave me the strength to turn"  
"Me giving you strength?"

"Yes, without you I couldn't have done it"

"Likewise. Have you found out who your Master is yet?"

"No, have you?"

Zexar shook his head, then held out a hand for Telon so they could walk to the training facility together. As they walked hand-in-hand to the facility, they both thought about what they had been through to get here, and how close they had come to their own destruction.

The chamber was completely empty except for three young padawan learners sparring with each other. Zexar walked over to the training droids and activated three of the strongest possible droids. They jumped to life in a series of whirs and beeps, and attacked him viciously. The three padawan learners all stopped what they were doing an watched Zexar in awe as he cut them down with his blue blade of pure energy. Telon then joined in and they sparred with each other, unlike Tatooine where they had a real purpose. This was a little fun they could both engage in, whilst inspiring the padawan learners in one. The speed at which the sparred was awe-inspiring as they swung and blocked with what would seem as impossible co-ordination, until Zexar disarmed Telon in a swift move and held his blade to her neck.

"I believe you have lost your weapon young Jedi", Zexar teased her.

"I believe I have lost my heart to you youth", Telon replied before kissing him passionately.

"Get a room", a padawan said as they ran back to their corner and continued with their training.

"You'd think a display like that would increase their rank wouldn't you Crella?"

"Most certainly Carly"

Zexar and Telon deactivated their sabers and turned to face the Masters, before realizing what was happening.

"I'm not happy to call you Zexar my young apprentice", Carly said.

"You?"

"Yes, me"

"This day just gets better", Zexar grinned.

"And as for you my apprentice, I am extremely happy to be training a Jedi of your ability", Crella said.

"As am I", Telon replied.

_This may just be beginning once again_,Zexar thought, _but at least it's a new leaf, a new day, a new chapter._


	16. Alternate Ending

Zexar stared at Telon for at least a minute before speaking, his eyes changing slowly from red to yellow and back to green for the first time since she had turned. Her amazing blue eyes shone through the darkness, and her long black, elegant hair glimmered in what little light was in the hanger. The blue saber in her hand looked out of place, wrong, but he knew that however he felt was irrelevant; this was the right thing for her to be.

"Thank you for not abandoning me Telon", Zexar said, not taking his eyes off her.

"I never will"

"Darkness is calling your name"

"Don't make this difficult Zex, you have no choice other than joining the light"

"I can't Telon"

"You know you can't stay a Sith forever"

"Who says I want to?"

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"With you at my side we can destroy both sides of the Force, peace at last"

"And peace will last will it?"

"Under my rule"

"Domination. Power. Zex, you had everything you could possibly desire as a Jedi but you destroyed it in a lust for revenge", Telon stated, desperately trying to force him from darkness.

"I never had _you_"

"You have me now"

"No, I don't. You're fighting with my enemy"  
"So I'm your enemy?"

"Never, I love you Telon, more than anything"

"So I'm supposed to destroy my life for you?"

"Not destroy, enrich"

"You're delusional"

"No, it is the order who are delusional", Zexar replied, anger returning in his eyes.

"An order you shall become a part of"

"I shall never join my enemy"

"You've done it before"

"In different circumstances"

"You fell in hate, why not redeem yourself in love?"

"I can't Telon, I can't"

"Can't? Or won't?"

Telon clipped her saber back onto her belt, aware that Zexar wouldn't attack her, and turned away from him.

"Both", Zexar yelled at her, "I can't be a pawn to the light sides will, I will _never _be a Jedi"

"That is where you are wrong", Telon shouted back.

"What with? A pawn? A Jedi? Experience as both is all yours"

"What are you saying?"

"You are an easily swayed pawn of the universe"

"And what are you then? A Sith? A Dark Lord? No, you are a selfish, brutal, hateful piece of scum"

"At least I am secure of what I am"

"And I'm not?"

"You don't know who you are, you can't stick to what you believe in"

"And you can?"

"I _am _now"

They were both knocked off their feet by a huge explosion which blew away two of the thick hangar walls. A huge Sith fleet was engaging the large republic fleet, a sky battle little over the high rise buildings.

Zexar leaped to his feet and pulled out his saber, igniting it and attacking Telon to kill, as did she. The flurry of red against blue was cut short by the five members of the Jedi council speeding through the broken walls and shooting at Zexar with their speeder blasters. Zexar Force pushed Telon away and deflected the blaster shots, blowing up Vaandall's speeder and killing him instantly. A Sith strike team consisting of Lord Raxen, Darth Velo, Darth Jonai, and Darth Serra ran through the crumbled wall and engaged the remaining four Masters, leaving Telon to Zexar.

"Zexar, you will pay for this", Telon shouted, remembering her promise to Brunn.

"Just try it", Zexar replied coldly as she engaged him, aiming to kill.

Telon and Zexar attacked each with unreal speed, until Zexar disarmed Telon in a swift move but hesitated. He and Telon stared at each other for a few minutes, Telon accepting her fate, until Zexar beheaded her. Zexar turned to see the bodies of Darth Jonai, Darth Serra, Yux, and Nattang littering the floor, leaving Darth Velo, Lord Raxen, and Carly battling. Darth Jonai looked like she had died in pain, her tortured-looking face open-mouthed in pain, as well as the blood stains. Jared Marx and Carly used the Force to push away Raxen and Velo, and both leaped on a speeder each, speeding away towards the ensuing battle.

"Raxen?", Zexar asked.

"Lord Zexar, we decided to assist you, we shall take Coruscant today"

"We shall, Velo, you're one hell of a fighter"

"Thank you Zex, but now is not the time, we need to finish the other Jedi before they can rally more republic cruisers"

"Take their speeders", Zexar ordered.

Raxen, Zexar, and Velo leaped on the speeders and headed for the temple, Zexar on one with Raxen and Velo on another, where a large scale battle was commencing. Red, blue, green, yellow, and purple flashes was all that could be seen as they approached, the Sith and remaining Jedi battling for control of this once war-free planet. Zexar fired multiple blaster shots into their midst and took down two Jedi padawan's before he reached the group. He swerved around multiple Jedi until he reached the middle and leaped off his speeder, ignited his saber, and engaged he Jedi around him in one move. He attacked with a deadly accuracy, killing thirteen Jedi padawan's and a further three Knight's.

"Zexar you traitorous scum", an old friend shouted, running towards him saber held high.

"It is the Jedi who are traitorous Frank", Zexar shouted back as he and Frank engaged.

"You keep telling yourself that"

"I shall"

"You will never survive this you traitor"

Frank put up a much better fight than Zexar had been expecting, and they dueled viciously moving around the battle field outside the Jedi Temple. His green saber carved lines through the air as he attacked Zexar with a power only given by hatred, a hatred Zexar knew only too well. Hate of a traitor. Zexar felt his anger which in turn fueled his own anger, and he cut down Frank in a powerful yet deadly accurate move.

"Lord, the cruiser", a Sith Warrior shouted, pointing up to the Jedi cruiser falling down to them all.

Zexar turned to face the cruiser and drew the Force from everyone around him, and attempted to hold it up. He strengthened his own input and successfully stopped the cruiser crashing on top of the Jedi and Sith, and pushed it off towards the high rise buildings.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Screams and the smell of burnt flesh filled the air as many Jedi and Sith fell in battle, joining the ranks of the dead. Civilians of Coruscant ran from the tall buildings as they saw cruisers and small fighters being shot down, and took refuge in the small streets below, hoping to survive the Sith attack. A Senator and his family living near the council chambers were attempting to escape the building, but so far their efforts were proving useless: every elevator was full within seconds, and staircases were so full it was difficult to walk down. The father of three kids, Senator Farbree, was trying to get his speeder up and running, but the Sith bombardment had destroyed a wall right next to his speeder, blocking the exit.

"Dad, why aren't we moving anywhere?", the first child, Siobhan, asked him.

"Just a little longer"

"Are you sure this will work?", his wife, Cecelia, quizzed so the children wouldn't hear.

"Yes, I promise you"

"Dad, Herlo won't let me have my-", his second child, Justin, moaned.

"Herlo, give it back to Justin", Farbree shouted, beginning to get annoyed.

"Farbree, don't shout at the kids"

The Senator brought the speeder to life, and took off, heading straight for the small pile of rubble blocking their escape. He sighed with relief as the rubble was shifted by the speeder, but he was soon wishing he hadn't taken off by the conditions outside. Stray blaster fire from Republic cruisers as well as the from the destructive Sith cruisers threatened to destroy the speeder any second, so he piloted the speeder down to the base of the building, where the Sith and Jedi had finished fighting. It was a risky move as there were still Sith everywhere, but it had to be done, all he could do was hope the Jedi had become victorious in the battle.

Landing on the pavement, he could see and smell the destruction of the war: the crumbled buildings, the dead bodies, and the burning ships. He scramble from the speeder and pulled his wife and children with him, then ran towards Coruscant's safer streets, far from the Sith and Jedi.

"Farbree, what's happening?", Cecilia asked him.

"It's too dangerous o fly, we need to get to the upper cantina, it will be safe there"

He pulled Siobhan and Justin up into his arms as Cecilia did with Herlo, and they darted through destroyed streets and bloody bodies. There were dead Jedi everywhere, more than Sith. It frightened Farbree to think that the Jedi traitor Zexar was able to cause this kind of destruction, along with the evil Lord Raxen.

He turned one more corner and stopped abruptly, seeing a cloaked figure in front. The figure turned but Farbree was unable to see their face through the darkness of their hood, but as they removed it he wished they hadn't.

"Senator Farbree?", the cold man asked.

"Y-Yes Lord Z-Zexar"

"What are you doing so far from your accommodation?", he asked, seemingly quite reasonable.

"T-The battle was threatening to k-kill me and my family", Farbree replied, his voice shaky.

"Don't be scared my friend. You were seeking refuge here?"

"T-The cantina"

"I'm afraid the cantina is unavailable"

"Where can w-we go?"

"Back to your home"  
"B-But it was destroyed, please m-my Lord"

"Lord Zexar, please, my children need a roof over their heads", Cecilia inputted.

"Then accommodation they shall get"

"And us?", she asked, not feeling pressured by Zexar.

Zexar smiled a sick smile before replying, and a red glimmer in his eyes made them shudder in fear. He ignited his saber and watched Farbree and Cecilia back away in fear, quivering madly at the prospect of their premature deaths.

"Anger, hate, and fear will be needed in your children", Zexar spat out as he stabbed Cecilia in the heart in front of her children and Farbree.

"You mon-", Farbree started shouting, before having his head removed.

"Kill the children", Zexar ordered a Sith Warrior next to him.

----------------------------------------------------------

Having murdered countless civilians and acquiring countless young children for training, Zexar got back on his speeder and headed for the Jedi Temple, where he intended to start building his empire. His head was buzzing with what had happened, and he was extremely happy Jared Marx and Carly were able to survive the battle to be captured by him, they would make good Sith once converted. A hologram of Lord Raxen appeared at the front of his speeder, and he nodded in acknowledgement.

"Lord Zexar, Masters Carly and Jared have been brought to the temple entrance for your entertainment"

"I will be less than a minute", Zexar replied before cutting transmission.

Zexar arrived at the Temple to roaring and cheering from the gathered Sith. He got off his speeder and climbed the steps to the Templed entrance, with a plan that he, Raxen, and Velo had developed. The Sith were standing under two statues of The Four Masters, with Raxen and Velo standing next to him. Zexar nodded to them both to initiate the plan, but they hesitated whilst Zexar began speaking to them.

"Mighty Sith of this new empire, the Jedi order is dead, we are the supreme rulers of the galaxy: Lord Raxen, Lord Velo, and I. Bow down to us"

The entire crowd of Sith got down to their knees and bowed low, whilst Raxen and Velo removed the support beams of the two statues, which subsequently fell down to where the Sith were crouching. A quick wave of screams and shouts were abruptly ended with two loud thuds and many crunching noises of bones smashing, which left only Zexar, Raxen, and Velo alive.

"Very good Lord Zexar", Carly mocked.

"Very good indeed", Jared jumped in.

Zexar, Raxen and Velo turned to face the surviving Masters, intending to make their last moments in this existence difficult at best.

"The offer is still there", Raxen stated.

"Aaron, you have my congratulations for taking the core worlds capital", Carly mocked once more.

"Don't test me C", Zexar replied calmly

"Oh I know never to do that again"

"You have that right. As a Jedi you won't do anything again"

"And a Jedi I am", Carly said.

"Then suffer the fate of a Jedi"

Zexar, Raxen, and Velo used Force lightening on Carly and Jared, shocking them into a premature death, two more added to the millions of lives already lost.

"You know, for a fallen Jedi, you really pulled through", Raxen said to Zexar.

"I consider myself less of a fallen Jedi"

"Zex, do you recall me saying it ironic that you followed Anakin Skywalker's foot steps?", Velo asked him.

"I do"

"It is no longer ironic"

"Why's that?"

"Skywalker killed Sidious, ending the Sith's rule over the galaxy. He destroyed his beliefs for love. I thought it ironic as I believed you would do the same, and re-join Telon", Velo said, causing Zexar to re adjust his gaze to the dead Sith.

"The love had gone, I found it elsewhere", Zexar stated, looking back at Velo.

"Love ultimately destroyed the Jedi", Raxen said slowly, taking a manner Jared used to use.

"The Jedi were too closed minded to see it coming", Velo finished.

"The universe is ours, the Sith rule the galaxy once more", Raxen replied, before turning away and walking down the large staircase, collecting up the light sabers was his aim.

"And you are mine", Velo said to Zexar, pulling him into a kiss which he returned.

"And you are mine, and mine alone", Zexar finished.

_They Jedi may be dead, but this will never be the end. This is but a chapter in my book, and we shall continue to hunt the remaining Jedi in the universe. I may have lost love, but I have found it once again in Velo. I may have lost friendship but I have found it in Raxen. For now, I am happy._


End file.
